This Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole with hand-picked Minnesota wild rice, jalapenos, and cheddar is a great, easy-to-make dinner choice!
Remember the Air Fryer Whole Chicken recipe, where I raved about the seemingly endless options of cooking a whole chicken? Well, this is one of those options and only requires half of the chicken while still providing a variety of light and dark meat throughout the casserole.
The first time I had this casserole, it was filled with grilled pheasant that a friend of mine brought back from a Veteran hunt that he was able to attend. It was delicious! Pheasant isn’t overly abundant around here, so I subbed in chicken for a comparable dish.
If you’re meal prepping, feeding a crowd, or just want something warm and gooey on a cool day; tread carefully! This casserole can have you stuffed in comfy pants and on the couch before you know it!!
Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1/2 Chicken, pulled
- 1 1/2 cups natural wild rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 jalapenos, halved and sliced
- 8 oz mild cheddar, shredded
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the chicken, I start with a whole bird but only half is used in this recipe. You can air fry, roast, bake, grill, or smoke it! Whatever your preferred method, just remove the skin and pull half of the chicken off the bone. For an easy whole chicken recipe, click here.
- In a pot, bring 2 cups of water and 2 cups of broth to a boil. Rinse the rice thoroughly (until water runs clear), add to the pot, and stir. Reduce heat to low and cover, allowing to simmer for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- While rice is cooking, chop the vegetables and shred the cheese. Remove the seeds from the peppers to reduce the heat (optional). If your chicken hasn't already been pulled, do that now.
- Place a skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic, onions, and jalapeno and allow them to cook for about ten minutes, or until brown.
- Return to the rice (after 45 minutes) and remove from heat. Stir in the chicken, vegetables, and cheese. Mix well.
- Pour into a casserole dish and spread evenly. Place in the oven at 425 for 10 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the top is slightly crisped.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 165Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 423mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 10g