Wild Rice Baked Chicken

Wild rice baked chicken is a one-dish dinner that uses the rice cooking time to do the chicken cooking, too. Rinsed wild rice goes into a buttered casserole with diced celery, green pepper, water, and chicken bouillon. Halved chicken breasts sit right on top, brushed with soy sauce, and the whole thing bakes covered for an hour and a half.

The magic is in the layering. The chicken juices drip down into the rice as it bakes, infusing the grains with poultry flavor while the rice steams the chicken from below. The bouillon-spiked water is what cooks the rice, so by the time the wild rice is tender, the chicken is too.

Wild rice takes longer than white or brown, which is why this recipe needs a full 90 minutes. Don’t substitute regular rice without adjusting the time.

Kitchen Tips

• Rinse the wild rice thoroughly before using. The grains are coated with natural saponins that taste bitter; a good wash removes them.
• Use real wild rice, not the long-grain blends labeled “wild rice mix." Those cook in 25 minutes and will turn to mush in this recipe.
• Cover the casserole tightly with foil if your dish doesn’t have a lid. Steam is what cooks the rice; lose the steam, lose the dish.
• Brush the chicken with soy sauce, not the rice. The soy adds color to the chicken and seasons the meat without making the rice too salty.

Variations

• Add 1 cup of sliced mushrooms to the rice for an earthier, deeper flavor.
• Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in place of breasts for a richer, more forgiving result.
• Stir 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley into the cooked rice before serving for color and freshness.