AliLarter.com

October 6, 2016

As we settle into the cozier months, I find myself longing for the warmth and texture of certain comfort foods – those dishes that are so rich and layered that eating them feels like pulling on my favorite sweater.  I also find myself cringing at the thought of cleaning mounds of dishes in the middle of the busy holiday season.  This one-dish chicken casserole is high on my list of go-to’s at the moment, one I turn to when I want to prepare something simple and easy with little cleanup and lots of flavor. 

Better yet, this particular recipe has been tested and tweaked so many times that it’s foolproof.  The sweet, tart cranberries – a recent, dish-changing addition – elevate the other flavor profiles, giving the casserole an irresistible depth and complexity.   Throw everything into the pot, toss it in the oven, get back to your fireside giftwrapping post, and settle in for an hour of drooling over the smells coming from your kitchen – this one-dish meal cooks itself!

xx,

A

CHICKEN AND WILD RICE WITH CRANBERRIES CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

1 lb. Assorted Fresh Mushrooms
1 medium Onion, diced
1 medium Fennel bulb, diced
2 lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
Salt and Pepper
3 tbls. E.V.O.O.
1 tsp. fresh Thyme Leaves
1 cup Wild Rice
½ cup Dry White Wine (whatever you’re drinking that night!)
2 cups Chicken Stock
½ cup Dried Cranberries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Clean and quarter mushrooms, and dice onion and fennel – set aside.  Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tbls. olive oil on the stove in a dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Brown the chicken thighs in a single layer, turning after 2-3 minutes, so that they achieve a nice glaze.  Do this in multiple batches if necessary.

Set browned chicken aside.  Heat additional 1 tbls. olive oil in the dutch oven, add the onion and the fennel to the pan and sweat them for roughly 5-7minutes or until aromatic, then add mushrooms, thyme leaves, and salt.  Cook until the mushrooms are tender and their liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes.  Add wild rice and stir to coat in the oil and vegetables, then pour in ½ cup white wine and reduce for 1 minute.  Add 2 cups chicken stock, cranberries, and browned chicken thighs.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then remove from stove.

Place in the oven for 1 hour, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.  Don’t peek before the hour is up!

Remove from oven, and serve!  If you manage to have leftovers, this recipe will keep beautifully in the fridge – perfect lunch the next day!

Total Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 min.

Serves: 10