Chicken, Sausage & Wild Rice Casserole

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Chicken, Sausage, and Wild Rice Casserole is a one-pan wonder dinner that will quickly become one of your “go-to” meals. You know, the kind that only takes minutes to prepare, and you can always count on it to turn out perfectly.

Like my Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole, Chicken Pilau, Chicken Divan with Curry, and Chicken Wild Rice Salad, this chicken, sausage, and wild rice casserole is classic southern comfort food. It’s also kid-friendly and as perfect for serving for a quick weeknight dinner as it is for a dinner party or special occasion.

This easy recipe features juicy and tender chicken, spicy pork sausage, earthy mushrooms, and a rich nutty long grain and wild rice blend. Combine that with cream of mushroom soup and a flavorful chive and onion cream cheese spread for just the right amount of creamy deliciousness, and you have a winner!

Baked chicken, sausage and wild rice casserole in a white rectangle baking dish.

Then, when you think it couldn’t get any better, this chicken casserole is topped with shredded cheddar cheese and panko, which brings even more flavor and gives it a crispy crust when it’s baked in the oven.

Chicken, Sausage, and Wild Rice Casserole is quick and easy to prepare. It can be made ahead of time, travels well, freezes beautifully, and did I mention it is oh so flavorful? It’s also the perfect dish to take to a sick friend; it would be a welcome addition to a potluck and ideal for welcoming a new neighbor to the neighborhood.

Ingredients – here is what you will need for this recipe:

A rotisserie chicken and other ingredients to make a casserole.

Rotisserie chicken – the time saver of all convenience foods, is freshly cooked rotisserie chicken that you can pick up from just about any grocery store these days. Of course, you can also substitute your own roasted chicken.
Long grain and wild rice blend – combines long grain rice and wild rice with herbs and seasonings and is another time saver. Uncle Ben’s is probably the most common brand, and you need the original recipe, not instant.
Sausage – made from freshly ground pork, adds even more flavor and seasoning to the mix. This kind of sausage is often called breakfast sausage and comes in a roll, usually wrapped in plastic. It comes in regular, mild, hot, and sage flavors. I typically use regular or mild, but if you like a bit of heat, you might want to try the hot. You can often find this kind of sausage next to the bacon at the grocery store.
Onion – adds classic mild onion flavor.
Fresh mushrooms – bring their earthy freshness to the party and add yet another flavor profile.
Cream of mushroom soup – is a classic condensed canned soup that is widely used in casseroles. You can substitute cream of chicken or cream of celery soup.
Chive and onion cream cheese spread – adds a creamy element and mild oniony essence to this tasty casserole.
Panko bread crumbs – adorn the top of this dish and bring their toasty crispiness to every bite. You can substitute regular bread crumbs.
Shredded cheddar cheese – is sprinkled over the top of this dish before baking it in the oven and adds some cheesy deliciousness. You can substitute a Mexican or Italian blend of shredded cheese.
Parsley – (not pictured) is optional but sprinkling a little bit of it chopped adds a nice pop of color and freshness.

Directions – here’s how to make this recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
Remove the skin and bones from the rotisserie chicken and cut the meat into small bite-size pieces. Set aside.

A cutting board with cut up chicken and a knife.

Cook the long grain and wild rice blend according to the directions on the package.

While the rice is cooking, pan-fry the sausage in an extra-large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat for six to eight minutes or until it is mostly browned. Break up large pieces with a meat chopper or potato masher and drain any fat.

Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for five to seven minutes more or until the sausage is thoroughly cooked and the onion and the mushrooms are tender.

Sausage, mushrooms and onion cooking in a skillet.

Add the chicken, rice, cream cheese spread, and soup and mix thoroughly.

A skillet with sausage, chicken, rice, soup and cream cheese.

Pour the mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle the cheese and panko evenly on top.

A baking dish with a chicken and rice casserole topped with cheese ready for the oven.

Bake the casserole uncovered for 45 minutes. Optional, garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

A large spoonful of chicken, sausage and rice casserole next to the baking dish.

Frequently asked questions:

What to serve it with?

This is a hearty casserole; all it needs is a nice salad such as my Cucumber and Tomato Salad, Brussels Sprout Salad, Apple Pecan Salad, Broccoli Salad, or Watermelon Feta Salad.

For a nice change of pace, add a slice of one of my quick breads such as Peach Bread, Sweet Potato Bread, or Apple Bread.

Strawberry Sherbet or my Mixed Berry Sherbet would be lovely for a sweet ending.

Storage and leftovers?

The good news is leftovers are even better the next day. Store them covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. Leftovers can also be frozen.

To reheat leftovers in the oven, sprinkle a few drops of water over the top, cover with foil and reheat at 350 °F for eight to ten minutes. They can also be reheated in the microwave for a minute or so.

What’s the difference between wild rice and a wild rice blend?

Wild rice is not rice at all but a grain. A wild rice blend contains wild rice, long grain rice, plus herbs and other seasonings.

Can this casserole be made ahead?

To make this casserole ahead, after preparing it, before baking it, either cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or wrap it tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to four months.

What is an emergency casserole?

An emergency casserole is a dish you can take out of the freezer at a moment’s notice and pop in the oven for those nights when you have last-minute company, you are too tired to cook, or you have been too busy to plan anything else for dinner.

Emergency casseroles are also great when you need a dish to take to a friend’s house who has just had a baby or surgery and needs some TLC; you get the idea.

Sharon’s tips:

You can substitute leftover chicken or cooked chicken for the rotisserie chicken. You will need between two to three cups.
Cream of chicken or cream of celery soup can be substituted for the cream of mushroom soup.
I used regular pork sausage in this recipe. If you like spicy food, you could substitute hot pork sausage or Italian sausage.
This recipe, as written, makes eight generous servings. Because it’s just my husband and me, instead of making one large casserole, I usually divide the mixture into two or three baking dishes before baking. Then I cook one and freeze the others to eat another night or when I need an “emergency meal.”
To bake after freezing, take the casserole out of the freezer and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed. If baking a frozen casserole, add about 30 minutes to the cooking time.
I usually use sharp cheddar cheese in this recipe but have also used a Mexican and Italian blend. I have also used a combination of leftover cheeses from my fridge with excellent results. All were delicious!
I did not include any salt or pepper in this recipe because so many of the ingredients already include seasonings.