Chicken Mushroom Rice Casserole

5 from 1 vote

Make this cozy and easy chicken mushroom rice casserole from scratch with simple, wholesome ingredients.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword chicken and rice casserole, chicken mushroom rice casserole

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Total Time 55

Servings people

Calories 560kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (such as the meat from a large rotisserie chicken)
2 cups cooked rice
1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas (about 2 cups), not thawed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes), plus extra for garnish
2 cups coarsely crushed Ritz crackers (I used 1 sleeve, which is equal to 36 crackers)
3 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a large skillet (about 12-14 inches) or in a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic; cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper to taste. Whisk in the flour; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth, wine, and cream; bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low; stir in the Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, poultry seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens slightly, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the chicken, rice, peas, and parsley. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish.
In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs with the melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbly and the top is golden brown. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

- For an alcohol-free dish, swap out the white wine and use extra chicken broth instead.

- To serve a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish.

- Don’t have Ritz crackers? Substitute with crushed potato chips, crushed Corn Flakes cereal mixed with melted butter, or other buttery crackers (like Keebler Club crackers). Buttered panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs will work, too!

- Instead of the peas, add frozen corn, steamed green beans, or steamed broccoli to the casserole.

- Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese or grated mozzarella cheese on top of the casserole before adding the Ritz cracker topping.

- Add extra fresh herbs to the filling, such as chives, thyme, basil, or tarragon.