Chicken Wild Rice and Cranberry Bake
From our kitchen · November 2, 2026
I like wild rice in a casserole because it keeps a little chew. It gives the chicken and mushrooms something substantial to settle into, and a handful of cranberries adds the occasional sweet bite.
The rice needs to be cooked before it goes in the dish. That's the detail I would want someone to tell me before I started. I use a plain wild rice blend, not a seasoned packet, and measure it after cooking. If I have leftover rice, dinner becomes considerably easier.
A little cream and broth keep the filling moist. The topping is simply buttered breadcrumbs, scattered lightly enough that they brown without forming a solid lid.
Daniel likes the cranberries; I like the mushrooms. Neither takes over the dish. We usually serve it with green beans and let the baking dish stay on the table for second helpings. If the evening is busy, I assemble the filling earlier and keep it chilled, then give the casserole a little extra time in the oven.
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
Ingredients
3 cups cooked plain wild rice blend, from about 1 cup dry; follow package yield
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 small onion, diced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 cups shredded fully cooked chicken
⅓ cup dried cranberries
½ cup plain panko breadcrumbs
Directions
- 1
Heat oven to 375°F. Grease a 2½- to 3-quart baking dish. Cook rice according to package if not already prepared.
- 2
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and mushrooms 7–9 minutes, until softened and mushroom liquid evaporates. Add garlic for 1 minute.
- 3
Stir in flour for 1 minute. Gradually add broth, stirring smooth, then cream, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer 3 minutes until lightly thickened.
- 4
Fold in cooked rice, chicken, and cranberries. Transfer to the baking dish.
- 5
Melt remaining tablespoon butter and mix with panko. Sprinkle over the filling.
- 6
Bake 30–35 minutes, until bubbling and the center reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes. If baking refrigerated filling, cover for the first 20 minutes and allow additional time to reach 165°F.
One family tip
Wild rice blends vary considerably. Follow the package cooking time rather than treating them like white rice.
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