It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And no, snow isn’t falling yet—beautiful red and orange leaves are swirling around in the air instead! To celebrate, Ultimate Fall Casserole presents itself with shades of the dreamiest autumn palette like deep maroon dried cranberries, rust orange sweet potatoes, forest green Brussels sprouts, and dark walnut-brown wild rice. To make sure you end your meal nice and stuffed and cozy, there’s some tender juicy chicken raked in. Sounds like a dish straight out of a fall-themed Hallmark movie, doesn’t it? Ultimate Fall Casserole is here to help you feel festive and full!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish, divided
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 6 cups wild rice, cooked
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup almonds, sliced
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with the olive oil.
Step 3 –In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Step 4 –Season the chicken with the salt and the pepper.
Step 5 –Add the seasoned chicken to the skillet and cook until golden and the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F, about 8 minutes per side.
Step 6 –Let the chicken rest until cooled enough to touch, about 10 minutes.
Step 7 –Cut the rested chicken into 1-inch pieces.
Step 8 –Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat in the same skillet.
Step 9 –Add the onion, the sweet potatoes, the Brussels sprouts, the garlic, the thyme, the paprika, the cumin, the salt, and the pepper to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 10 –Add 1/4 cup of the broth to the veggie mixture and bring to a simmer.
Step 11 –Cook the veggie mixture, covered, about 5 minutes.
Step 12 –Place the cooked rice in the prepared baking dish and season with the salt and the pepper.
Step 13 –Stir the cooked chicken, the cranberries, the cooked veggies, and the remaining broth into the cooked rice.
Step 14 –Top the chicken mixture with the almond slices.
Step 15 –Bake until the dish is heated through and the almonds are toasted, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 16 –Serve.
