One Pan Chicken and Creamy Mushrooms Casserole

Chicken and Creamy Mushrooms Casserole made in one pan for a lazy night. This casserole is a feel good dish with chicken and mushrooms in a cream sauce, kale, rice, lemon zest and cheese. A simple, satisfying meal packed with flavour. 

How to cook a casserole with rice and still keep it creamy?

When it comes to a baked casserole made with rice, there are some important things to know. First, you want the rice to be in a sauce, almost like a risotto, not dry and solid. This is where the liquids come in. I used chicken broth and cream, but you can use whole milk. If you don’t add enough liquids, the casserole becomes dry and sticky, not that flavourful. The other thing is, don’t add too much rice. This dish is about chicken, mushrooms and for something green, I added kale. The rice is used as a filler, not as the main attraction.

To make this chicken and creamy mushroom casserole, first, you partially cook everything on the stove. Then, the casserole is baked with either gruyere or parmesan cheese. For the mushrooms, I used small cremini mushrooms and kept them whole. This adds more texture to the casserole. The kale is my way of adding something healthy and the lemon zest ties everything together. The entire meal is made and served usually in one pan from the stove to the oven to the table — super simple and minimal clean up. 

What to serve with casseroles?

Casseroles are always cooked in one pan and typically served in the same pan. This casserole has everything from meat to vegetables and a side all cooked together. In this chicken and mushrooms casserole dish, the side would be considered rice, although some casseroles use pasta or potatoes. So the only thing missing is a salad or a simple vegetable. I would recommend a Simply Perfect Cabbage Crunch Salad or Broccoli Slaw with Citrus Dressing