Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken and Rice Casserole
Recipe Mari Loewen, Styling Carol Dudar, Photography by Paula Wilson
My high school friend Julie made this for me way back in the 80s. We had both just moved to the big city when she invited me over for a rice-box recipe casserole dinner I never forgot. I still remember exactly how it tasted — and that was the moment I fell in love with freshly grated nutmeg.
I’ve made this dish a million times since. Recently, I re-imagined it for a client and knew I had to share it here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do — and yes, Julie is still my friend — And she’s the best cook!
Slightly flattened chicken breasts rolled with a crispy nutmeg-spiked mushroom filling, baked over creamy rice. The nutmeg adds warmth while panko adds the crunch. Comforting, elegant, and weeknight easy—this casserole does it all.
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, slightly pounded flat
½ teaspoon salt
15 g (1 tablespoon) butter, for browning
Stuffing
180 g (2 cups) white mushrooms, medium dice
3 tablespoons butter
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Rice
2 cups par-cooked white rice
1 cup cream and stock mixture (¾ cup 35% cream, ¼ cup chicken stock)
¼ teaspoon salt
Method
For stuffing, melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in nutmeg and salt. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in breadcrumbs and remove from heat. Let cool.
Lay chicken breasts flat and season lightly with salt. Spoon about ¼ cup mushroom mixture onto each breast, roll up, and secure with toothpick, reserving ¼ cup mixture for topping.
In skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place rice in baking dish, arrange chicken on top, and pour cream and stock mixture around sides, letting it soak into rice. Sprinkle with reserved mushroom mixture. Cover and bake 20–25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender.
