I have been making this Chicken Wild Rice Casserole for years and it never disappoints. It’s a simple mixture of chicken, wild rice, frozen vegetables and cheese that is mixed together and baked until hot and melty. Simple enough for a weeknight but hearty enough to fill you up (with leftovers for the next day, too!) It’s one of our favorites.

My Favorite Rice Casserole!

I’ve been making casseroles for years because they never get old, they’re baked in one dish and everyone likes them (hiiii Creamy Ranch Chicken Casserole, Breakfast Casserole and Taco Casserole). This is no exception to the rule. This is one of my family’s favorite dinners. We love love love this Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice so much that I decided to base this entire recipe around it. Make a package of this rice according to package directions, stir it together with the rest of the casserole ingredients and bake. Make it ahead or bake immediately…works both ways perfectly.

A list of Simple Ingredients

This Chicken Wild Rice Casserole recipe has a list of relatively simple ingredients. I’ve listed a few other options if you wanted to switch things up based on what you have on hand, but generally, everything on this list should be readily available in your cabinets or easy to find at your local grocery store.

• Wild Rice– like I mentioned above, this box of Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice is the basis of this recipe. Make it according to package directions. Don’t forget the seasoning packet! That is where a lot of the flavor comes from for this recipe.
• Precooked Chicken– Any kind of chicken you have is perfect for this recipe, as long as its already cooked. Rotisserie, boiled and cubed, canned or leftover grilled chicken would all work.
• Onions and Celery– I cook diced onion and celery in a little butter to add more flavor.
• Frozen Vegetables– The pictures show that I used a simple pea/carrot combo, but any frozen veggie mix is great! As long as you like it, it should work just fine.
• Cream of Chicken Soup– A lot of the moisture and flavor for this rice casserole is from a can of condensed soup. I used cream of chicken but cream of mushroom or even cream of celery will work. As long as you like it, it will work!
• Heavy Cream or Milk-Because we bake this casserole, we want to add moisture to keep the casserole from drying out. Cream adds an overall creamy flavor but milk works in a pinch, too.
• Cheddar Cheese– This is optional, but makes a delicious topping!

How to make Chicken Wild Rice Casserole

There are about 20-25 minutes of active cook time with this recipe, but the remainder is pure baking time. This is why every mom loves casseroles. Really really simple! Actual recipe increments and more specific directions are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Cook box of rice according to packaged directions.
2. Saute onion and celery until softened.
3. Stir all casserole ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread into a baking dish. Top with cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm.

What should I serve with this casserole?

My go-to side dish for any casserole including this Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole would be some kind of raw or cooked vegetables. Salads are great in the summer, warmer veggies are great in the fall and winter! Here are some of my favorites:

• Chinese Cabbage Salad
• Watermelon Mint Salad
• Ambrosia Salad
• Simple Greek Salad
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Oven Roasted Asparagus
• Maple Glazed Carrots

So, there you have it! A simple wild rice casserole that has your veggies, protein and grain all wrapped up in one creamy, dreamy dish! I hope you love it as much as we do!

Happy Cooking!

Print

Chicken Wild Rice Casserole

Simple, hearty ingredients stirred together and baked for a creamy chicken and wild rice casserole, perfect for any weeknight dinner!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword casserole

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 401kcal

Author Lauren

Ingredients

• 1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup* 1 can
• 2 cups cooked chicken cubed, or any other meat
• 1 1/2 cups frozen vegetables peas and carrots recommended but any are fine
• 1/2 cup cream or milk
• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Cook box of rice according to packaged directions.
• In skillet, melt butter and sautee onion and celery over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Once cooked, add rice and cooked onion and celery into large bowl. Add cream of chicken soup, diced chicken, vegetables, cream and salt and pepper. Mix well. Spread into a lightly greased casserole dish. (9x9 glass dish is fine too.)
• Top with cheese. Cover with foil and warm thoroughly at 350 degrees for at least 20 minutes (and up to 60). Serve warm with a side salad.

Notes

*I use cream of chicken condensed soup but a cream of mushroom of cream of celery soup would work too. As long as you like the flavor of the soup you're using, it should work just fine.

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 463mg | Potassium: 837mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4506IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Chicken Wild Rice Casserole appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

You really can’t go wrong with this delicious Cilantro Lime Rice recipe. It basically pairs perfectly with any protein main dish, Mexican or Asian food! It is ridiculously easy to make, not to mention quick and also tastes so refreshing. So whether you are making Burritos or Potstickers, be sure to make this amazing rice recipe.

Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Cilantro Lime Rice is such a quick and easy side dish, you’ll find yourself making this again and again. So here’s what you’ll need to get started.

• Long Grain White Rice – if you are more of a brown rice type of person feel free to substitute white rice out. You are just going to have to adjust the cooking time for your rice.
• Salt – you wouldn’t want unseasoned rice, right?
• Water – this is to cook the rice in.
• Lime Juice – to flavor! Fresh is always best. Also, feel free to zest a little lime in there too for an extra limey kick.
• Cilantro – more flavor! If you don’t like the taste of cilantro, I can’t stress this enough, this recipe is not for you.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice

Using a Rice Cooker

Instead of boiling/steaming to cook the rice, you can also use a rice cooker or pressure cooker. In this case, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Often times the appliance you are using will come with a booklet of instructions. Each machine is a little different so be sure to pay attention to how much rice to water you should be adding to the pot. And don’t forget to add the salt!

Note: 1 cup of uncooked white rice will make 3 cups cooked.

Leftovers

Lucky for you, Cilantro Lime Rice is an excellent leftover dish as well! Rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 days and frozen for up to 3 months. Of course, both are stored in an airtight container.

To reheat simply pop however much rice you are going to eat into the microwave with a little sprinkling of water until heated through. And make sure to return all leftover rice back into the fridge!

What to Serve with Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro Lime Rice is best served as a side dish! That isn’t to say that you can’t have it wrapped inside a burrito though. So good! Here are a couple of main dishes that would pair well with this recipe.

• Red and Green Enchiladas – a reader favorite!
• Baked Chicken Legs – simple but packed full of flavor.
• Fish Taco Recipe – serve on the side or within each taco!
• Mexican Pork – a super easy main dish to go along with a super-easy side dish.
• Korean Beef – this rice recipe isn’t only good with Mexican food, but Asian food too!

More Rice Recipes!

• Easy Fried Rice Recipe
• Famous Butter Rice
• Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
• Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

A simple and quick side dish that everyone is sure to love. Printable recipe card is below, so make sure to save it by printing, bookmarking or pinning this recipe

Print

Cilantro Lime Rice

This Cilantro Lime Rice recipe is an easy side dish that can go with chicken, pork or beef. Light and refreshing yet super versatile!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword chipotle cilantro lime rice, cilantro lime rice, cilantro lime rice recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 113kcal

Author Lauren's Latest

Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cups cold water
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• 1 whole lime juiced (about 2 tablespoons)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a small pot, stir the rice, water, and salt together. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook 15-20 minutes or until rice is completely cooked through. (Once there is no visible water bubbling around the rice anymore- 15 minutes or so- turn the heat off and keep the lid on to steam the rice another 10 minutes until done.)
• Fluff rice with fork and stir in cilantro and lime juice, to taste. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Cilantro Lime Rice appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

This post was sponsored by Hook Line and Savor. All opinions expressed are my own.

Today I am happy to be sharing a quick and easy dinner idea that is gluten free, allergen free and totally delicious: Black Bean Encrusted Cod with Vegetable Rice Pilaf. Sounds and looks much fancier than it actually is because I took the help from the store and bought the main course from the freezer section at the grocery store. Yes, even recipe bloggers buy pre-made food at the store too!

Hook Line and Savor is a new seafood company that offers gluten-free, allergy-friendly, high quality, responsibly sourced and flavorful fish products that only require reheating. I got to try three different kinds of fish that they offer (the Black Bean Encrusted Cod listed above, Citrus Ginger Salmon and Crispy Beer Battered Haddock) and this kind was our family’s favorite. Paired with a quick rice pilaf laced with a few frozen veggies and that is dinner! (Recipe below!)

All of Hook Line and Savor’s products start with the highest quality fish that is sustainably sourced, because you want fish that tastes great and that you can feel good about where and how it was caught. It’s so cool because each product includes a Catch Code on the box, so you can look up where and how your fish were caught. So cool!

Below you can see that the fish come ready to go, you just need to bake! After you warm them through and crisp the edges in the oven, serve with the sauce that comes with and any side dish you like. Dinner ready in a snap.

Super flaky, flavorful fish with a savory sauce that will make even the pickiest eaters clear their plates. Next time you are looking for a quick and easy dinner, give Hook Line and Savor a try!

Have a great day, friends!

Print

Black Bean Encrusted Cod with Vegetable Rice Pilaf

This easy vegetable rice pilaf is the perfect companion for this delicious pre-made black bean encrusted cod.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword black bean encusted cod

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 260kcal

Author Lauren's Latest

Ingredients

• 2 boxes Hook Line and Savor Black Bean Encrusted Cod

For the rice pilaf:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth gluten free
• 1 bay leaf
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup frozen vegetables

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Bake Black Bean Encrusted Cod according to package directions.

For the Rice Pilaf:

• Heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onion for 3-4 minutes or until it starts to brown slightly. Stir in rice and coat grains in oil. Pour in chicken broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Stir, cover, bring to boil and reduce heat to low to simmer.
• After most of the water has absorbed, pour in the frozen vegetables and replace lid. Veggies will 'steam' and warm on top of the rice. Once rice is fully cooked, remove from heat and stir in veggies. Remove bay leaf. 
• Divide rice between four plates and top with cooked fish and accompanying sauce. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1155IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Black Bean Encrusted Cod with Vegetable Rice Pilaf appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Fried Rice Made Easy (and Fast!)

My friend from college (Hi Jessie!) told me about this quick and healthy way that she makes Fried Rice. So, I gave it a whirl with what I had on hand one night and believe it or not, this was a 10-minute miracle dinner that my entire family gobbled up. Even Eddie (11 months) was screaming and reaching for more! I couldn’t give that boy bites fast enough!! Needless to say, it was a hit. Taking shortcuts from the store is the name of the game for this Fried Rice.

Main Ingredients Needed

I like to take hints from the store by using pre-cooked bacon, frozen rice, and frozen Asian veggies, but that is the beauty of this recipe and why I like it so much. It’s a 10-minute dinner {and sanity} saver!! Feel free to use this recipe as a base and add or subtract ingredients as you like. Here’s what you’ll need for Fried Rice:

• Olive Oil – the oil used to stir fry everything.
• Onion and Garlic – any good recipe starts out with these two. They are packed with flavor!
• Bacon – I’d highly recommend not skipping the bacon because that’s how I had it in Maui and I’m converted. I will never go back and you can’t make me.
• Mushrooms – If you don’t like mushrooms, don’t add them in. No big deal
• Frozen Brown Rice – see here for my how-to on frozen brown rice. Or cook it yourself. Also, white rice is a fine substitute.
• Frozen Asian Vegetables and Edamame – a great shortcut is to use frozen veggies and frozen edamame.
• Egg Whites – alternatively you could use whole eggs.
• Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil – for umami flavor and seasoning.
• Pepper – season to taste.

Of course, you could take a few extra minutes and cook up some chicken too, but that would turn this into a 15-minute dinner and I didn’t want to commit to the extra 5 minutes in the kitchen if I didn’t have to. Priorities, people.

How to Make Fried Rice

Be sure to watch the video in the recipe card if you’re confused about this process at all. It’s a super good How-To on making Fried Rice.

1. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Saute onion, bacon, and mushrooms 2 minutes or until onions start becoming tender. Add in garlic and stir until fragrant; about 30 seconds.
2. Pour in frozen brown rice, frozen vegetables, and edamame. Increase heat to high and stir fry until completely warmed through. Reduce heat to medium.
3. Push rice mixture to one side of the pan and scramble the egg whites on the empty side of the pan. Once they are scrambled to your liking, stir into the rice and toss with soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Stir briefly and serve hot.

Leftovers

Any leftover fried rice can be refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 4 days!

Tips and Tricks for the BEST Fried Rice

• Cold Rice. Day-old rice (cold refrigerated rice) fries up so much better in fried rice recipes. This is because the rice is a little dried out, and thus less sticky. That means all of the flavorful juices produced by the veggies and sauces can be soaked up by each individual rice grain! So make sure to plan ahead of time.
• High Heat. Stir-frying is where you quickly fry your dish over high heat. So because this is stir-fried rice, use high heat. You are going to reduce the heat to medium for the eggs at the end.
• Veggies. Vegetables are our best friends when it comes to fried rice recipes. They provide so much flavor and freshness. Plus a mix of textures to keep things interesting.
• Cooking the Eggs Separate. Be sure to scoot your rice mixture to the side before cooking your eggs. This ensures that the egg is fully cooked.

More Recipes to Check Out!

• Asian BBQ Turkey Meatballs with Zucchini Fried Rice
• Cauliflower Fried Rice
• Orange & Hoisin Glazed Pork Medallions with Pineapple Fried Brown Rice
• Thai Chicken Bites
• Chow Mein
• Chicken Pad Thai
• Homemade Teriyaki Chicken

So, below is the printable recipe.

Be sure to save this easy fried rice recipe for a busy weeknight! It’s amazing and miraculous and you’ll never be the same again.

Have a wonderful day!

Print

Easy Fried Rice Recipe

This easy Fried Rice Recipe is healthy and quick! 10-minutes and you'll believe in miracles! SO SO delicious and good for you!

Course Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Fried Rice, fried rice recipe, how to make fried rice

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 12 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 641kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion finely diced
• 5 slices pre-cooked bacon chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms optional
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 12 oz. frozen brown rice
• 10.8 oz. frozen Asian vegetables I use steam fresh
• 1/2 cup frozen edamame
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
• pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Place a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Saute onion, bacon, and mushrooms 2 minutes or until onions start becoming tender. Add in garlic and stir until fragrant; about 30 seconds.
• Pour in frozen brown rice, frozen vegetables, and edamame. Increase heat to high and stir fry until completely warmed through. Reduce heat to medium.
• Push rice mixture to one side of the pan and scramble the egg whites on the empty side of the pan. Once they are scrambled to your liking, stir into the rice and toss with soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Stir briefly and serve hot.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 1073mg | Potassium: 702mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3885IU | Vitamin C: 10.6mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3.3mg

The post BEST Fried Rice appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Wild Rice Stuffing

My Mom found this Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe in an old old copy of The Joy of Cooking and after the years, adapted it for our family. Well, when I got to college and didn’t have any copy of the recipe, I made it until it tasted right and adapted it a little more. So, technically this is an adaption from an adaption but it all goes back to those geniuses at the Joy of Cooking. Those smartypants’!

Main Ingredients Needed

Well, folks, it’s that time again, Wild Rice Stuffing time! Since I am Canadian and live in the states, it’s only fitting that I celebrate both Canadian and American Thanksgiving and stuff my face twice! Now, the usual American Thanksgiving feast is different than my family’s Canadian celebration and this stuffing has a little something to do with it. Growing up, I never really knew such a thing as bread stuffing really existed. At some point, I found out, but I never really saw it being made and we never really ate it because this Wild Rice Stuffing is so much tastier than the bread kind…and I think my Mom didn’t like it and found a better recipe that involved bacon. YUM.

So here’s everything you’ll need to make this delicious Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe:

• Uncle Bens Long Grain and Wild Rice – you’ve got to get this brand and flavor for this recipe to work! Look high and low at your grocery store.
• Long Grain White Rice – plainly flavored white rice to balance all the flavor going on!
• Smoked Bacon – the smoked bacon really makes this recipe tasty. Smokey saltiness…
• Reserved Bacon Grease – don’t worry you don’t have to go out and buy this, it’s provided when you cook the bacon.
• Onion and Celery – sauteed in the bacon grease. Slightly crunchy slightly soft.
• Salt and Pepper – season to taste.
• Heavy Cream – adds some creaminess to the stuffing.
• Dried Ground Sage – for its earthly flavor.
• Dried Cranberries – brings its bittersweet flavor with a chewy texture.
• Slivered Almonds – a crunchy addition to top it all off.

How to Make Wild Rice Stuffing

1. Cook two kinds of rice together, according to package directions. Once cooked, scoop into a large bowl. In a large skillet, cook bacon to be slightly crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.
2. Pour off bacon grease, leaving 3 tablespoons in the pan. Sautee onions and celery in the grease until tender, 5 minutes.
3. Stir cooked vegetables, bacon, salt, pepper, cream, sage and cranberries into the rice. At this point, you could stuff your turkey or pour into a baking dish, cover with foil and warm in a 300-degree oven until ready to serve.
4. Right before serving, top with toasted slivered almonds.

Leftovers

Usually, we have leftovers of everything else but this Wild Rice Stuffing and my Grandma’s cauliflower–which we will discuss at a later date. But IF you do happen to gave leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days! Then when ready to eat, reheat in the microwave until heated through and enjoy with the rest of your Thanksgiving leftovers.

More Stuffing Recipes to Try!

• Amazing Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe (easy!)
• Cornbread Sausage Stuffing
• Turkey and Stuffing Pockets

If you are celebrating either Thanksgivings, I would highly recommend this recipe! We’ve been eating this one for years for a reason! It’s just so darn good.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends back home in Ottawa and everywhere else! Printable recipe card is below. Happy Eating!

Print

Wild Rice Stuffing with Bacon

Wild Rice Stuffing is the perfect substitute for traditional stuffing and is made with bacon! Make this super tasty side next Thanksgiving!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword rice stuffing, wild rice stuffing, wild rice stuffing recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 353kcal

Author Lauren

Ingredients

• 1 box Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice you must get this brand and flavor!
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 10 slices smoked bacon
• 3 tablespoons reserved bacon grease
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 dash ground sage optional
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries optional
• 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Cook two kinds of rice together, according to package directions. Once cooked, scoop into a large bowl. In a large skillet, cook bacon to be slightly crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.
• Pour off bacon grease, leaving 3 tablespoons in the pan. Sautee onions and celery in the grease until tender, 5 minutes.
• Stir cooked vegetables, bacon, salt, pepper, cream, sage and cranberries into the rice. At this point, you could stuff your turkey with this stuffing or pour into a baking dish, cover with foil and warm in a 300-degree oven until ready to serve.
• Right before serving, top with toasted slivered almonds.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 0.6mg

The post Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe with Bacon appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Broccoli Rice Casserole

So, this Broccoli Rice Casserole recipe I’m posting today it a mish-mash of things I found in the cupboards and in the fridge all sauteed and baked into one delicious casserole. When I placed this on the table for dinner last week, the first words out of my mouth were “I don’t know if this is going to be good!” but after we all took our first bites, it wasn’t long before the entire casserole was gone. Completely. Meaning no leftovers! I love it when miscellaneous ingredients all come together to make a great meal.

Main Ingredients Needed

With a diverse mix of vegetables, ham, cheese, and rice this dinner is bursting full of flavor! Here’s everything you need to make Broccoli Rice Casserole:

• Butter – this is used for flavor and to saute the vegetables.
• Onions, Carrots, Corn, and Broccoli – all of the vegetables in this casserole. For more ideas see the sections below.
• Ham – use either cubed ham pieces, deli ham, or even leftover ham from the Holidays!
• Cream of Chicken Soup – this brings a lot of flavor to this dish and helps tie in all of the different ingredients. Use store-bought or homemade.
• Salt, Pepper, and Thyme – don’t forget the seasonings! Thyme basically goes with anything which is great when this recipe is so adaptable.
• Rice and Water – these two go hand in hand when making a rice-based casserole.
• Cheddar Cheese – freshly grated is best for melty cheese. And feel free to top your casserole with a little sprinkle as well.

Variations

Now if you don’t have 1 large carrot or happen to have an ear of corn on hand, then don’t sweat it. Use what you have! Any veggies would be tasty. Here are some other variations for this Broccoli Rice Casserole recipe:

• Meat: instead of using ham, try leftover or rotisserie chicken! Quick and tasty!
• Rice: you could go the healthier route and use brown rice, just remember that it takes slightly longer to cook. Quinoa is also a good option.
• Cheese: switching out the type of cheese is a great way to change the whole casserole. You could go sharper or milder and still have a great dinner on your hands.
• Veggies: as I said before, use what you have! Celery, spinach, artichoke hearts, cauliflower, and zucchini are all wonderful options.

How to Make Broccoli Rice Casserole

The whole cooking method to this dish is super simple and can be done in about 10 minutes, then it’s off to the oven to bake! For full details check out the recipe card below.

1. Preheat oven. Lightly grease a baking dish and set aside.
2. In a large skillet melt butter. Saute onions, carrot, corn, and ham until veggies start to soften. Stir in broccoli and cream of chicken soup.
3. Once the soup starts to melt into the veggies, add in seasonings, rice, and water. Stir to incorporate and remove any lumps
4. Melt cheese into mixture and pour entire contents of skillet into prepared baking dish. Bake until rice is completely cooked and no liquid remains. Serve hot.

Also, I would like to point out that cooking rice in the oven is genius. You absolutely cannot CANNOT screw it up. Lots of people don’t know how to cook rice which baffles my mind. To them, I say bake it in the oven in a casserole, and it will turn out beautifully.

And then while your Broccoli Rice Casserole is baking, you can do the dishes, make a salad, set the table, and check your email. And then feel like wonder woman. Don’t you love days where you feel like that?

More Casseroles to Try!

If you loved this dinner, be sure to check out my other casserole recipes!

• Easy Taco Casserole
• Green Bean Casserole
• Buttery Corn Casserole
• Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

So there you have it, my friends. Broccoli Rice Casserole, an easy and delicious dinner everyone will love.

Printable recipe card is below

Print

Broccoli Rice Casserole

This cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole is impossible to mess up and super tasty! It's a vegetable-filled dinner that everyone will love!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword broccoli cheese rice casserole, broccoli rice casserole

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 4 servings

Calories 577kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium onion diced
• 1 large carrot peeled & diced
• 1 ear yellow sweet corn
• 2 cups steamed broccoli florets
• 4 oz. deli ham diced
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 pinches ground thyme
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups medium cheddar cheese grated

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking dish and set aside. {Use a 9x9 square dish or one that is slightly larger.}
• Place large skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Saute onions, carrot, corn, and ham 5-7 minutes or until veggies start to soften. Stir in broccoli and cream of chicken soup.
• Once soup starts to melt into the veggies, add in seasonings, rice and water. Stir to incorporate and remove any lumps
• Melt cheese into mixture and pour entire contents of skillet into prepared baking dish. Bake 40 minutes or until rice is completely cooked and no liquid remains. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 1220mg | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3645IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 372mg | Iron: 2.8mg

The post Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I don’t know why I feel the need to make Chicken Wild Rice Soup when the weather gets bad, but there you have it. Maybe it’s something my Mom did OR maybe it’s ingrained in my DNA. That would be cool. Either way, I made a huge pot of delicious chicken wild rice soup and you lucky people get the recipe!

Main Ingredients Needed

I’d say the hardest part of this Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe is the chopping, which isn’t hard at all…just takes a little time. So here’s everything you’ll need to get started!

• Butter and Olive Oil – these are used for sauteing and for flavor.
• Onion, Celery, and Carrots – healthy and colorful with subtle hints of delicious flavor, these really are the rock stars of this soup.
• Chicken Broth – use a good quality chicken broth for the best results.
• Chicken Breasts – it takes around 45 minutes to get all the ingredients prepped and cooked if you’re doing everything from scratch, but if you use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken it’ll shave off a huge chunk of time.
• Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice – I call for Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice Original Flavor (6 oz. box that is skinny and orange) because that’s what I’ve always used because it comes with a seasoning packet that makes a world of difference because it tastes so darn good. I grew up eating the stuff so I miiiiiight be slightly biased. I don’t want to force you to buy this, but in my opinion, you need it to get the same result that I did. It was only $3 here in NYC which means it’s probably only $2 where you live.
• Half & Half and All-Purpose Flour – to keep this on the healthier side, I use fat-free half & half. It’s creamy with a fraction of the calories. If you don’t use or can’t find fat free half and half, I’d recommend using half the amount of real half & half or whole milk. Your soup will be a little less thick if you use the milk, but that’s why you whisk in the flour to help combat that.
• Salt and Pepper – season as you go and season to taste!

Love Wild Rice as much as I do? Check out these other recipes: Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe with Bacon and Chicken Wild Rice Casserole.

How to Make Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This is a one-pot soup recipe that starts with sauteing the vegetables. Chicken is added to be cooked then comes the wild rice and seasonings. A half & half-flour mixture is stirred throughout to thicken then you just have to wait until the rice is cooked through. For full recipe details, check out the recipe card below!

1. In a large pot, heat butter, and olive oil. Sautee onions, celery, and carrots on to soften. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
2. Pour in chicken broth and cubed raw chicken. Once the chicken has cooked and become opaque, pour in rice and seasoning packet that came with the rice. Cover and reduce heat to simmer lightly, stirring occasionally.
3. In a small bowl, whisk cold half & half with flour until smooth. Pour into the soup pot and reduce heat completely to low. Cook until rice is softened completely and soup has thickened.
4. Taste and season accordingly. Serve Chicken Wild Rice Soup hot.

Note: If using rotisserie chicken, you’ll add that in during step 3 with the half and half and flour.

Make It Gluten-Free

To make Chicken Wild Rice Soup gluten-free swap out the flour for half the amount of cornstarch. Blend with the half & half to create that creamy base!

Unfortunately, Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice seasoning packet has gluten in it. SO instead of adding the seasoning packet in, here are a blend of seasonings that comes pretty close to the same flavors:

• 1 teaspoon dried minced parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 teaspoons salt

Make It Dairy-Free

Good news! You can make this Chicken Wild Rice Soup without dairy but still get all the creaminess.

To make this recipe dairy-free, simply replace the half & half with your choice of unsweetened non-dairy milk. Whether that be almond, cashew, oat, or even coconut milk. Just know that it won’t be exactly the same as using cows milk.

Leftovers

This Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe will stay good for up to 4 days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container. That’s right, 4 days of comforting soup to warm you up on those chillier days.

Freezing Chicken Wild Rice Soup

If you are looking to freeze this Chicken and Wild Rice Soup I’ve got some tips and tricks for you!

Freeze. Because dairy doesn’t freeze well I would advise you to not add the half & half and flour mixture to the soup. Instead, fully prepare the soup without the mixture then cool to room temperature. Store in a large freezer bag that lays flat in the freezer. Freezing in a thin layer like this will help when it comes to thawing quickly. Freeze for up to 2 months!

Thaw. Either transfer your frozen soup to the fridge the night before to slowly thaw or submerge the bag in lukewarm water for a quicker process. Reheat on the stovetop. Then add in the dairy flour mixture to thicken (you may need to simmer on low to get it all incorporated again).

More Chicken Soup Recipes to Try!

• Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles
• Chicken Tortilla Soup in the Crock-Pot
• Lemon Chicken Quinoa Soup
• Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Chicken Meatball & Barley Soup
• Chicken and Dumplings

If you loved this Chicken and Wild Rice Soup you’re going to love the other chicken soups I have to offer!

Printable recipe card is below, have a great day, friends!

Print

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup is the perfect warm and comforting meal for the upcoming cold winter months. Filled with lots of veggies and wholesome wild rice, your family will fall in love with this recipe.

Course Dinner, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken and wild rice soup, chicken wild rice soup, wild rice soup

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 260kcal

Author Lauren

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 whole onion diced
• 4 ribs celery chopped
• 4 large carrots peeled and cubed, about 1 1/2 cups
• 6 cups chicken broth good quality
• 3/4 lbs. chicken breasts* cubed
• 1 6 oz. box Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice
• 2 cups fat free half & half
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• plenty of salt and pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a large pot, heat butter, and olive oil. Sautee onions, celery, and carrots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes to soften. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
• Pour in chicken broth and cubed raw chicken. Raise temperature to medium-high heat to poach chicken in cooking liquid. Once the chicken has cooked and become opaque, pour in rice and seasoning packet that came with the rice. Cover and reduce heat to simmer lightly for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, whisk cold half & half with flour until smooth. Pour into the soup pot and reduce heat completely to low. Cook 10 minutes or until rice is softened completely and soup has thickened.
• Taste and season accordingly. Serve hot.

Notes

*if using rotisserie chicken, you'll add that in during step 3 with the half & half and flour.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 1093mg | Potassium: 794mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 8306IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Butter Rice Recipe

So, here lies the recipe that a lot of you have been asking about on social media {mostly Instagram}! It’s time for my famous butter rice recipe! This recipe is always a hit because the secret is butter, folks you can’t go wrong with that. Perfect as a side dish to meaty meals like this one or this one. Enjoy!

Main Ingredients Needed

You’re only 6 ingredients and 30 easy peasy minutes away from my Famous Butter Rice! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Butter – hello, this is called butter rice, is it not? Mainly for flavor and sauteing.
• Yellow Onion – this is to add delicious oniony flavor. It’s subtle and blends into the rice.
• Long Grain White Rice – this is what I used but feel free to use brown rice, just note that the taste. texture and cooking time will vary.
• Good Quality Chicken Stock – I like the stocks in a box, but the bouillon pastes and powdered cubes work great too! You just have to be careful about the sodium levels. Taste as you go and don’t add too much salt.
• Salt and Pepper – like mentioned above, to taste.
• Bay Leaves – these are used for flavor and are taken out right before serving.

Love rice? Try making rice a full meal with these recipes: Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole, Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup, Baked Pesto Chicken & Rice Casserole, and Salsa Verde Chicken & Rice Skillet.

How to Make Butter Rice

1. Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add in onion and saute gently for 5-6 minutes. Stir in rice grains to coat in butter.
2. Pour in remaining ingredients. Cover, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes less than what is listed on rice package directions {should be about 15 minutes.}
3. Turn heat off rice, but keep on a hot burner for 10 minutes to steam and prevent scorching. Fluff rice with a fork, remove bay leaves and serve as desired. Top with dried parsley flakes {optional}.

Leftovers

If you are using white rice this Butter Rice Recipe can stay good for up to 6 days in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer.

Alternatively, if you are using brown rice for this recipe, it will last up to 5 days in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer.

Either way, make sure you are staying safe by keeping a watchful eye on your rice. If your rice is hard, smelly, moldy, and/or oily (more than just the butter), throw it out!

More Rice Recipes to Try!

• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Make-Ahead Brown Rice for the Freezer
• Easy Fried Rice Recipe
• Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe with Bacon

This Butter Rice Recipe is a crowd favorite and I’m sure you’ll love it too! The printable recipe card is below, have a good day friend!

Print

Butter Rice

My Famous Butter Rice is seriously the best! Add a few simple ingredients to make the most buttery, delicious rice you've ever had!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Butter Rice, Butter Rice Recipe, Stick of Butter Rice

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 459kcal

Author Lauren's Latest

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 medium yellow onion finely diced
• 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
• 3 cups good quality chicken stock* or vegetable broth
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2-3 bay leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Melt butter over medium heat in large saucepan. Add in onion and saute gently for 5-6 minutes. Stir in rice grains to coat in butter.
• Pour in remaining ingredients. Cover, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes less than what is listed on rice package directions {should be about 15 minutes.}
• Turn heat off rice, but keep on the hot burner for 10 minutes to steam and prevent scorching. Fluff rice with a fork, remove bay leaves, and serve as desired. Top with dried parsley flakes {optional}.

Notes

*I like the stocks in a box, but the bouillon pastes and powdered cubes work great too! You just have to be careful about the sodium levels. Taste as you go and don't add too much salt.

Nutrition

Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 396mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.9mg

The post Famous Butter Rice appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Here’s an amazingly easy Baked Pesto Chicken & Rice Casserole that comes together in a cinch.

Basically, you throw all the ingredients into a baking dish and bake for an hour. Stir in a few goodies at the end and voila! Dinner. Let it be known that these are my favorite kinds of dinners.

So, this dish just involves chicken, rice, pesto, parmesan cheese and….

chicken stock. I know, it’s so easy, right?! Stir it all up and bake for about an hour.

After its all baked and the rice is cooked to your liking, shred the chicken and stir it back in. That’s basically it. If you feel so inclined, stir in some diced fresh tomatoes, more parmesan cheese, more pesto {because I had a little bit left in the jar…haha!}, a little cream {because why not} and some Italian seasoning. All those little add-ins are optional, but very very delicious.

So, there you have it! Pesto Chicken & Rice Casserole. YUM.

Have a great weekend! And feel free to follow along our fun weekend on my Instagram page or the Indulge Conference Instagram page too

Print

Pesto Chicken and Rice Casserole

Pesto Chicken and Rice Casserole is simple, delicious and, like any other casserole recipe, lets you sit back and relax as it bakes.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Pesto Chicken and Rice

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 511kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 cup parmesan cheese divided
• 6 tablespoons prepared pesto divided
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1 lb.
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 1/4 cups chicken stock
• 2 roma tomatoes diced
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• Italian seasoning optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a 9x9 glass baking dish, pour in rice, 1/2 cup cheese, 4 tablespoons pesto, and chicken. Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper, to taste. Pour chicken stock over all ingredients and stir gently to even out the rice underneath the chicken. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until rice is cooked to your liking.
• Remove chicken from baking dish and shred into large pieces. Add chicken back in and stir in cream, remaining pesto and 3/4 of the diced tomatoes. Spoon into 4 servings and top with tomatoes, more cheese {if desired} and Italian seasoning. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1090IU | Vitamin C: 5.2mg | Calcium: 362mg | Iron: 1.3mg

Other recipes you might like:

Creamy Pesto Alfredo Chicken Pasta

Chicken Wild Rice Casserole

Bruschetta Chicken

The post Pesto Chicken and Rice Casserole appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Today I’m sharing this amazing and delicious Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe. Cauliflower rice is just grated or finely chopped cauliflower that looks like rice. You can make it yourself or buy it fresh or frozen. I like buying it frozen and throwing it into different recipes. It’s a nice, healthy staple to have on hand.

For this chicken fried rice recipe, its a nice substitute for rice to reduce the number of carbs and increase the veggie servings. I have made this for a quick lunch or dinner and my husband (and kids!) gobble this up no problem. It’s quite similar to my Original Fried Rice, but with even less guilt because we’re using cauliflower, as well as adding in shredded chicken for some extra protein.

Frozen versus Fresh Cauliflower Rice

I recently started buying cauliflower rice instead of making my own to save time. I have a tendency to choose frozen over fresh cauliflower rice for a few reasons. The main reason being I can store it for quite a while and not have to worry about it going bad. Another reason is its usually cheaper than the fresh! If you can catch the frozen cauli rice on sale, it ends up being cheaper than making it yourself, so be on the lookout for that. Also, I love love love having frozen cauli rice on hand because of how convenient it is to throw dinner together in a snap.

Main Ingredients Needed

Lots of obvious fried rice culprits on this ingredients list! This is basically just like making regular fried rice, but instead of using rice, you substitute the cauliflower rice. See my note below about adding in a little rice with the cauliflower to bulk this recipe up a bit.

• olive oil-keeps things moving and grooving in the pan.
• onion + garlic– the most flavorful duo!
• bacon– I used precooked bacon from Costco to save time (Kirkland Signature Brand) but feel free to use raw bacon and cook it along with the onions and garlic.
• riced cauliflower– I prefer using frozen cauliflower rice, but fresh is fine too! Use what you have. This is the kind I used for this recipe.
• frozen mixed vegetables– there’s no way I’m prepping all these veggies fresh, so I use frozen! The Steamfresh Asian Medley is great.
• shredded chicken– any precooked chicken that you can shred is great! I used rotisserie chicken without the skin.
• eggs– a classic ingredient for fried rice, cauliflower fried rice included!
• soy sauce– used for salt, but also gives that darker color!
• dried ginger– if you have fresh, use fresh, but the dried ginger works just as well.
• sesame oil– I love love love this ingredient! It’s so darn tasty!
• green onion– adds a light and fresh onion flavor while also adding color.

Adding in Frozen Rice

Not only is this a super fast recipe, but it’s really quite healthy too (if you overlook all the bacon…haha!) Lots of cauliflower, mixed veggies, eggs and chicken, flavored with ginger, garlic, onion, soy sauce and sesame oil. Learn how to make your own frozen brown rice here.

How to Make Cauliflower Fried Rice

Yes, this is ready to eat in 30 minutes or less! The precooked bacon, frozen veggies and store bought riced cauliflower makes up a lot of prep time! Here’s how to do it:

1. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Saute onion and bacon 2 minutes or until onions start becoming tender. Add in garlic and stir until fragrant; about 30 seconds.
2. Pour in frozen cauliflower rice, frozen mixed vegetables and shredded chicken. Increase heat to high and stir fry until completely warmed through. Reduce heat to medium.
3. Push rice mixture to one side of the pan and scramble the eggs on the empty side of the pan. Once they are scrambled to your liking, stir into the rice and toss with soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and green onion. Stir briefly and serve hot.

Love Cauliflower Fried Rice? Try These Low-Carb Favorites:

• Low Carb Bagel Sandwiches
• Low Carb Portobello Pizzas
• Asian Lettuce Wraps
• Low Carb Burrito Bowls
• Sesame Butternut Squash Noodles

Have a great day, friends!

Print

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Cauliflower Fried Rice is a healthy, clean take on the original fried rice recipe that comes together in 10 minutes and tastes amazing! 

Course Dinner

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Cauliflower Fried Rice

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 430kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion finely diced
• 5 slices pre-cooked bacon preferred brand: Kirkland Signature
• 1 clove garlic finely minced
• 8 oz pre-cooked brown rice preferred brand: Uncle Ben’s
• 10 oz frozen riced cauliflower
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 pre-cooked small chicken breast shredded*
• 2 eggs
• 3-4 tablespoons soy sauce more or less to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 green onion finely chopped

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Place a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Saute onion and bacon 2 minutes or until onions start becoming tender. Add in garlic and stir until fragrant; about 30 seconds.
• Pour in brown rice, frozen cauliflower rice, frozen mixed vegetables and shredded chicken. Increase heat to high and stir fry until completely warmed through. Reduce heat to medium.
• Push rice mixture to one side of the pan and scramble the eggs on the empty side of the pan. Once they are scrambled to your liking, stir into the rice and toss with soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and green onion. Stir briefly and serve hot.

Notes

*I used a small, precooked chicken breast I had left over in my fridge from a previous meal. Feel free to use rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked chicken from previous recipes. OR, omit all together.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1080mg | Potassium: 675mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2476IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Cauliflower Fried Rice appeared first on Lauren's Latest.