Autumn Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
This recipe can also be made using dark chicken meat and homemade stock. Do this the day before you make the casserole.
To cook the chicken and make the stock you will need:
6 chicken legs, 6 chicken thighs, 4 chicken wings
4 carrots, cut in 3″ pieces
2 stalks of celery, cut in 3″ pieces
1 onion, cuts in 4 pieces (leave onion skins on for color)
2 small or 1 large bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
10 peppercorns
Place the chicken parts in a stock pot. Add the vegetables and enough water to cover everything. Add the bay leaf, salt and peppercorns. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes skimming off any brown stuff that comes to the surface. Turn the heat down and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Lift the chicken parts out with tongs, remove the meat from the bones, put the bones back in the pot and tear the meat into bite-sized pieces and put in the refrigerator. Continue cooking the stock for another hour. Pour the broth through a sieve. Measure out the amount of broth that you need for the wild rice mix, Brussels sprouts and to pour over the top. You can make soup with the rest of the broth, or you can drink it like tea. It can also be put in a mason jar and frozen to use later.
Autumn Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
- Wild Rice Layer (below)
- Chicken Layer(below)
- Brussels Sprouts Layer(below)
- Roasted Sweet Pototo and Squash Layer(below)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 3 tablespoons minced parsley
Wild Rice Layer
Ingredients
- 2 cups Lundberg Wildblend wild rice mix (Whole Foods)
- 3 1/2 cups Swanson’s Chicken broth (you will also need 1/4 cup for the Brussels sprouts and 1/4 cup to pour over the casserole after it’s been assembled)
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Put the rice in a mesh strainer and run under cold water for 1 to 2 minutes and pour into a medium sauce pan that has a tight fitting lid. Add the butter and 3 1/2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 50 minutes. Without disturbing the lid, remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
Chicken Layer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Instructions
Place the chicken breasts in a zip lock bag and pound to an even 1/2″ thick. Heat a large skillet on medium high. Add the butter and oil and tilt the pan to cover. Add the chicken pieces and sprinkle them with salt. Cook for 4 minutes, turn over and cook another 4 minutes. Set aside. When cool, transfer to cutting board, reserving the juices if there are any, and slice into bite sized pieces.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Squash Layer
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces
- 1 pound delicata squash, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Place the sweet potatoes and squash on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle the oil over the pieces. Sprinkle with the salt and toss to coat. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Set aside.
Brussels Sprouts Layer
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved or quartered depending on the size
- 1 medium onion, cut in small pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- reserved juices from baked chicken if you had some, or 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
Instructions
Heat a large skillet that has a lid. Add the butter or avocado oil and tilt the pan to cover. Add the Brussels sprouts and onions and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Cook for 6 minutes, add the juices or broth, cover and cook for another 6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Mix the sage, rosemary and thyme together and stir into the cooled Brussels sprouts and onion mixture.
Assembly
Instructions
Butter or oil a 9″ by 13″ casserole. Spread half of the rice evenly on the bottom. Distribute half the chicken on top of the rice. Do the same with the Brussel sprout and onion mixture, then the sweet potato and squash mixture. Repeat. Top with the cranberries, pecans and parsley. Pour 1/4 cup chicken broth over the casserole. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
