A comforting blend of chicken, wild rice, vegetables, and cheese baked to a golden finish.
# What you need:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.2 lbs), cut into bite-size pieces
→ Rice
02 - 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend (180 g)
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup sliced mushrooms (150 g)
08 - 1 cup frozen peas (150 g)
→ Dairy & Broth
09 - 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (360 ml)
10 - 1 cup milk (240 ml)
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or sour cream (120 ml)
12 - 1 cup shredded Swiss or Gruyère cheese (100 g)
→ Pantry & Spices
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
16 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
17 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
→ Topping
18 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or gluten-free crumbs (35 g)
19 - 2 tbsp melted butter
# How to make it:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
03 - Add chicken pieces to the skillet and cook, stirring, until lightly browned but not fully cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Stir in wild rice, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Remove skillet from heat.
05 - In a large bowl, whisk together chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream or sour cream until well combined.
06 - Add the sautéed chicken and vegetable mixture along with frozen peas to the bowl. Stir thoroughly.
07 - Pour the combined contents into the prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle shredded cheese over the top.
08 - Mix breadcrumbs with melted butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle this mixture over the cheese layer.
09 - Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the rice is tender.
11 - Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
