Rotisserie Chicken, Mushroom & Rice Casserole

• This satisfying dish makes use of a store-bought shortcut to save time.
• This dish is loaded with protein and fiber, the perfect combo for filling satisfaction.
• Cook the mushrooms before adding them to the casserole to enhance flavor and prevent them from becoming soggy.

This Rotisserie Chicken, Mushroom & Rice Casserole might remind you of a dish you had as a child—though we ditched the canned soup and created our own creamy sauce. Rotisserie chicken simplifies the process and adds protein, while fiber-rich wild rice is hearty and filling. The mushrooms bring powerful antioxidants to this dish and become golden brown, enhancing their flavor, while a creamy, cheesy sauce brings everything together. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to ensure this casserole doesn’t become too soggy.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• We used quick-cooking rice, which cooks more evenly and quickly without the need for boiling water.
• You can substitute portobello, wild or button mushrooms; just make sure to cut them into similar sizes so they cook evenly.
• To enhance the flavor and prevent the casserole from becoming too soggy, be sure to cook the mushrooms before adding them. 
• We remove the sautéed veggies from the heat before adding the cream cheese and half-and-half, allowing the residual heat to melt the ingredients perfectly.

Nutrition Notes

• Rotisserie chicken adds muscle-building protein to this dish, as well as essential micronutrients, like selenium, vitamin B3 (niacin) and potassium. If the rotisserie chicken has been brined or injected with a saline solution (which will be noted on the label), it will have a higher sodium content compared to plain chicken. If you’re watching your sodium intake and this concerns you, you could roast your own chicken, use leftover chicken or follow our recipe for quick and easy poached chicken. 
• Mushrooms may be humble and earthy, but they’re loaded with powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants may help lower inflammation and chronic disease. Mushrooms also bring gut-loving fiber and energy-enhancing B vitamins to this dish. They’re also one of the few food sources for vitamin D. 
• Wild rice is one of the fiber-filled types of rice, providing satisfaction and keeping things moving through your gut. It also adds plant protein to this dish, as well as micronutrients like magnesium and folate. 
• Gruyère cheese not only adds its ooey-gooey goodness, but also some protein and calcium. Gruyère also adds probiotics to this dish. These beneficial gut bacteria will feed on the fiber from the rice, mushrooms and shallots to help boost your microbiome. And while Gruyère does also contain saturated fat, there is evidence that the sat fat in cheese may not be as harmful as other types of fat, like the kind found in processed meats. 

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Ward, Prop Stylist: Pheobe Hausser, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf.