Chicken Casserole With Mushrooms and Spinach
Updated September 26, 2024
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- About 1½ hours
- Prep Time
- 30 minutes
- Cook Time
- 55 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
¼ cup unsalted or salted butter
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound mushrooms, any variety, chopped
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
Salt and pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups (6 ounces) finely shredded Parmesan
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained (or 16 ounces fresh spinach, chopped and sautéed)
1 pound cooked chicken breast meat, coarsely shredded
4 cups cooked rice, white or brown
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
47 grams carbs; 118 milligrams cholesterol; 645 calories; 13 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 34 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 3 grams fiber; 1028 milligrams sodium; 37 grams protein; 4 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Step 2
In a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 10 minutes.
- Step 3
Sprinkle the flour on top and stir for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and chicken stock and bring to a boil, cooking for an additional 1 minute. Turn the heat off and stir in 1 cup of the Parmesan, reserving the remaining 1 cup of Parmesan.
- Step 4
Season the spinach with salt and pepper. Stir the seasoned spinach into the cream and mushrooms. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add it to the spinach and mushroom mixture. Stir in the rice. Taste then add salt and pepper if needed.
- Step 5
Spread the mixture into a lightly greased 9-by13-inch broiler-safe baking dish. Bake until heated throughout, about 25 minutes. Remove the casserole and turn on the oven’s broiler.
- Step 6
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of Parmesan in an even layer over the top of the baked casserole. Return the casserole to the top third of the oven and broil just until the Parmesan has melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Pay very close attention to ensure the Parmesan does not burn. Remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to sit for a few minutes before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Private Notes
Comments
I agree with others that the sauce is excessively thick. Even when I added more broth and cream (probably doubling the original measurements) I splashed on some more broth before baking. Two tablespoons of flour would probably be sufficient. As for construction, I would hold out the chicken and sandwich it between layers of the other mixed ingredients. That would ensure even distribution of the protein. With all that said, my husband and I thought it was delicious. Very reminiscent of chicken Tetrazzini, another old-school casserole. (My favorite recipe has a sauce made with 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup flour, 2 cups chicken stock, 1 and a 1/4 cups milk, 1/4 cup dry sherry, and 1 cup heavy cream, salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg). Also, I’d say the yield of this recipe is 6-8 servings.
Cooked this tonight and my husband raved about it. Swapped out the Parmesan for cheddar since we didn’t have any. Took note of other comments and reduced flour to 2 tablespoons and doubled the stock and the texture was excellent; not gloopy or watery. Added some soy and Worcester sauce for umami. Highly recommended for an easy quick dinner!
This is a nice recipe to build upon: perhaps more spice, different vegetables (asparagus, broccoli). The sauté should be in a larger pan than a skillet: there’s a pound of shredded chicken, lb of mushrooms, bit of spinach, 1.5 cups of liquid, cup of onion, and 4 cups of rice and the roux! (Mid-sized crueset at the minimum.) Next time I’ll add some chili flakes, maybe some panko on top of casserole, serve with a salad.
Added. One can artichoke hearts. Some red pepper flakes. 2 tbs flour. 2 and half cups wine and chicken broth. Rice, one cup uncooked
My family loved this (incl 4 and 2yo). I did skip the final layer of cheese (didn’t want to grate) and added Bachan sauce at serving, following someone who said soy sauce is good here
Not sure why this has 5 stars. I made as described, other than cutting the recipe in half and using slightly less flour/more liquid as so many recommended. It’s one-note in both flavor and texture, certainly edible but nothing special. There are far better chicken & rice casserole recipes out there.