Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

I think you’ll find that not only is this chicken and rice casserole recipe super tasty and comforting, it’s also energizing, filling and gentle on your stomach.

The week nights can get very busy, and we often find ourselves rushing to make dinner choices that are quick, easy and inexpensive. When you need to throw a bunch of ingredients in a pot and call it a day, there’s nothing better than slow cooker recipes and casseroles.

Unlike most casserole recipes that are made with refined carbohydrates and other processed ingredients that can be hard on your digestive system, my chicken and rice casserole is made with gluten-free wild rice, chicken thighs, mushrooms, kale and goat cheese. It’s also made with a tasty roux that’s made with arrowroot, one of my go-to gluten-free flours, and goat milk.

The Healthiest Rice Option

When you roam through the rice options at the grocery store, you may be a bit confused about all of the options. There’s white rice, brown rice, black rice, wild rice, jasmine rice — the list goes on. Do you need some help choosing the healthiest rice options for your home cooking? Well, I’ve got you covered.

One of the healthiest rice options out there is wild rice. Did you know that wild rice is actually a grass and not a grain? It’s a semi-aquatic grass that grows naturally in waterways throughout the United States. It’s completely gluten-free and rich in antioxidants.

Wild rice has a nutty flavor and texture, so it really adds depth to a recipe. Plus, you may notice that after eating a meal with wild rice, you feel energized, which is because of the magnesium content.

Aside from the wild rice in my chicken and rice casserole, some other ingredients that make this a healthy and filling dinner option are the goat milk, chicken broth and arrowroot flour that makes up the roux. You get a creamy texture and rich flavor, but this roux is easy on your digestive system.

Plus, the combination of mushrooms, kale, garlic and shallot gives this chicken and rice casserole a boost of vitamins and minerals that will support your immune system and help to reduce inflammation. Who knew a casserole can do so much for your health?

Recipe Nutrition Facts

One serving of my chicken and rice casserole made using this recipe contains roughly the following: (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

• 445 calories
• 53 grams protein
• 14 grams fat
• 22 grams carbohydrates
• 2 grams fiber
• 4 grams sugar
• 22.6 milligrams vitamin B2 (162 percent DV)
• 1.3 milligrams vitamin B6 (102 percent DV)
• 564 milligrams phosphorus (81 percent DV)
• 42 micrograms selenium (77 percent DV)
• 1.3 micrograms vitamin B12 (57 percent DV)
• 0.6 milligrams vitamin B2 (55 percent DV)
• 700 milligrams sodium (50 percent DV)
• 3.8 milligrams zinc (48 percent DV)
• 2.4 milligrams vitamin B5 (48 percent DV)
• 34 micrograms vitamin K (38 percent DV)
• 0.3 milligrams copper (35 percent DV)
• 89 milligrams magnesium (29 percent DV)
• 648 IUs vitamin A (28 percent DV)
• 0.24 milligrams vitamin B1 (23 percent DV)
• 208 milligrams calcium (21 percent DV)
• 0.3 milligrams manganese (21 percent DV)
• 706 milligrams potassium (15 percent DV)
• 2.3 milligrams iron (13 percent DV)
• 46 micrograms folate (12 percent DV)
• 1.4 milligrams vitamin E (9 percent DV)
• 6.2 milligrams vitamin C (8 percent DV)
• 27 IUs vitamin D (5 percent DV)

How to Make Chicken and Rice Casserole

To begin preparing your chicken and rice casserole, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and take out a small saucepan and casserole dish.

Your first step is to make the roux, which will serve as the creamy and rich base of your casserole. To make the roux, add 2 tablespoons of either butter or avocado oil and 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder to a small saucepan and cook the combo over medium heat.

Keep whisking the roux until it begins to bubble, which should take about 2 minutes.

Then add 2 cups of chicken broth as you keep whisking for another 10 minutes or so in order to thicken the roux.

Once your roux is visibly thicker, add 1 cup of goat milk.

Keep whisking for about 5 more minutes.

Now you should have a thick and creamy roux for your casserole.

It’s time to add all of your ingredients into the casserole dish. You need four chopped chicken thighs and 2 to 3 cups of cooked wild rice.

Then add in six medium mushrooms that have been quartered and 1½ cups of chopped kale.

Next, you’ll add one minced shallot, four sprigs of thyme, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.

Mix your ingredients around so they are evenly distributed and pour in your roux. Then add 1 cup of grated goat cheese to the very top of your casserole.

Make sure the goat cheese is covering the entire dish so you have a cheesy crust when your casserole comes out of the oven.

Finally, pop it in the oven for 40 minutes.

And look at that — a perfect combination of protein, healthy fats and complex carbs. I hope you enjoy this delicious chicken and rice casserole!