Chicken and Rice Casserole with Goat Cheese - Dr. Axe

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

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Chicken and rice casserole recipe - Dr. Axe

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.

Chicken and rice casserole recipe - Dr. Axe

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)

Chicken and rice casserole ingredients - Dr. Axe
  • 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.

Chicken and rice casserole step 1 - Dr. Axe

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.

Chicken and rice casserole step 2 - Dr. Axe

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

Chicken and rice casserole step 3 - Dr. Axe

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

Chicken and rice casserole step 4 - Dr. Axe

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

Chicken and rice casserole step 5 - Dr. Axe

Keep whisking for about 5 more minutes.

Chicken and rice casserole step 6 - Dr. Axe

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

Chicken and rice casserole step 7 - Dr. Axe

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.

Chicken and rice casserole step 8 - Dr. Axe

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

Chicken and rice casserole step 9 - Dr. Axe

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.

Chicken and rice casserole step 10 - Dr. Axe

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.

Chicken and rice casserole step 11 - Dr. Axe

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

Chicken and rice casserole step 12 - Dr. Axe

Finally, pop it in the oven for 40 minutes.

Chicken and rice casserole recipe - Dr. Axe

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

Chicken and rice casserole recipe - Dr. Axe

Total Time

1 hour

Serves

6

Diet Type

Ingredients:

  • 2–3 cups wild rice, cooked
  • 1 cup goat milk
  • 6 medium mushrooms, quartered
  • 4 chicken thighs, chopped
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 1½ cup kale, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 cup goat cheese, grated
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons butter or avocado oil
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, create roux by whisking butter and arrowroot starch until it bubbles, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add broth, whisking continuously to thicken for about 10 minutes.
  4. Once the mixture is visibly thicker, add goat milk and continue to whisk for about 5 minutes, allowing to thicken a bit more.
  5. Combine all ingredients except for goat cheese in a casserole dish, mixing thoroughly.
  6. Top with goat cheese and bake for 40 minutes.

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3 Comments

  1. Chelsea on

    Hi! So is wild rice still considered a grain even though it comes from a grass? Does it have the same effects on the body as white or brown rice (white being the worse of the two)?

    I’d like to try this but I don’t use grain or gluten in my children’s diet so wanted to know if this rice still has the same “grain” effects on the body

    Reply
    • Ethan Boldt on

      Great question Chelsea. Wild rice is not a grain but a grass with more fiber, protein and fewer calories than brown rice. Read more here: https://draxe.com/nutrition/wild-rice/

      Reply

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