Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken and Rice Casserole
Recipe Mari Loewen, Styling Carol Dudar, Photography by Paula Wilson
My friend Julie first made this for me back in the ’80s, when we had both just moved to the big city. She invited me over for a rice-box casserole dinner I never forgot. I can still remember exactly how it tasted — and it was the moment I fell in love with freshly grated nutmeg.
I’ve made this dish a million times since. And yes, Julie is still my friend — and she’s the best cook!
Slightly flattened chicken breasts rolled with a crispy, warmly spiced mushroom filling, baked over creamy rice. Comforting, elegant, and weeknight easy — this casserole does it all.
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded slightly flat
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon salted butter, for browning
Mushroom Stuffing
180 g (approximately 2 cups) white mushrooms, diced
3 tablespoons salted butter
¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup fine breadcrumbs
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Rice
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
¾ cup 35% whipping cream
1¼ cups chicken stock
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Preparation
For mushroom stuffing, in skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms, nutmeg and salt and cook until softened and most of the moisture has evaporated, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in breadcrumbs, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Lay raw chicken breasts flat and season both sides with salt. Divide mushroom stuffing between breasts, reserving ¼ cup for topping. Roll each breast tightly around stuffing and secure with toothpicks.
In skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Place raw stuffed chicken breasts in skillet and brown on all sides, about 1–2 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside. Chicken will finish cooking in oven.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Rinse rice under cold running water until water runs mostly clear. Drain well. In 8 × 8-inch baking dish, combine uncooked rice, cream, chicken stock and salt. Stir gently to combine. Arrange browned stuffed chicken breasts over rice and sprinkle reserved mushroom stuffing over top.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35–45 minutes, until rice is tender and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Begin checking chicken after 25 minutes. If chicken is cooked before rice is tender, remove chicken to plate and cover to keep warm. Return chicken to casserole for final few minutes to heat through.
Remove from oven and allow to rest, covered, for 5–10 minutes before serving. Remove toothpicks before serving.
Serves 2 generously.
