If you’ve ever had a bland and boring chicken and rice casserole, then you’ll greatly appreciate this dish. The chicken is cooked to tender perfection, while the casserole itself gets lots of flavor from sautéed mushrooms, dried fruit and Marsala wine. Instead of plain white rice, this version uses wild rice, which is a perfect food for slow cookers. For even more depth of flavor, this version uses a variety of mushrooms, but if you can’t find them or you just prefer regular old buttons, you’ll still have fantastic results. With only a few steps of prep work, this dish is truly a one-pot meal you’ll love to come home and enjoy. Once you take a bite of this delicious casserole, you will no longer be interested when someone tries to pass off another chicken and rice dish.
1/2 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound mixed mushrooms such as cremini, shiitake and oyster
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup Marsala wine
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped into bite sized pieces
4 cups cooked wild rice
2 cups chicken broth
Coat the inside of your slow cooker pot with cooking spray, brush with oil, or line with a slow cooker liner.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the butter. When melted, add the onions, mushrooms and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the onions are soft and the mushrooms turn golden brown. Add the Marsala to the pan and remove from heat.
Add everything to your slow cooker pot. Stir to combine thoroughly. Cover and cook for 2-3 hours, until the casserole is cooked through.
Remove the lid and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes.
Serve immediately from the slow cooker set on warm.
