Healthy Harvest Chicken Casserole
Healthy Harvest Chicken Casserole is a comforting and nutritious dish that combines tender, lean chicken with an array of colorful vegetables, wild rice, and a light, creamy honey mustard sauce.
This casserole recipe was inspired by a salad I had a few years ago up in Park City, UT. I haven’t been able to get the flavors out of my head since, so I converted it into a casserole and I’m obsessed!
This hearty casserole offers a wholesome balance of flavors, from the savory chicken to the sweetness of seasonal vegetables. Perfectly baked to golden perfection, it’s a satisfying meal that the whole family will enjoy!
Ingredients for Healthy Harvest Chicken Casserole
There is nothing complicated about the ingredients for this healthy chicken recipe. You’ll need a few seasonal vegetables and some seasonings. Here is everything you’ll need:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: used to sauté the potatoes and vegetables
- Sweet Potatoes: adds heartiness and a touch of sweetness to the dish
- Brussels Sprouts: If you aren’t a brussel sprouts fan, use broccoli instead.
- Red Onion: adds flavor
- Garlic: adds flavor
- Chicken Broth: helps cook all the vegetables and chicken completely
- Seasonings: Dried Thyme, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Kosher Salt and Pepper
- Chicken Breasts: use boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Honey Mustard Dressing: adds flavor, moisture
- Wild Rice: I love the flavor of wild rice with the recipe, but you can use any type of rice you like.
- Toppings: Sliced Almonds, Pepitas and Dried Cranberries (all optional but I love the texture and flavors they add)
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
How to Make Harvest Chicken Casserole
This delicious casserole is packed with protein and healthy vegetables, making it the perfect meal for a cozy night in. Here are the steps for making it…
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Sauté: Heat a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat then add the oil. Add the sweet potatoes, brussels and red onion and season them with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes and then reduce the heat to medium. Once everything starts browning, add the garlic and cookie it for 30 seconds.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add half of the chicken and all the seasonings and stir everything together. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes then place in a casserole dish.
- Cook the Chicken: Return the heat to medium-high, add a little oil to the pan and salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Place the chicken in the pan and reduce the temperature to medium. Cook on each side for 5-6 minutes.
- Rest: Let the cooked chicken rest for about 5 minutes and then cut it into bite-sized pieces, then toss it with the honey mustard dressing. Add the chicken to the casserole dish with the vegetables and stir to combine.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve over wild rice and sprinkle with the toppings.
Keep scrolling to the end of the post for the complete recipe card.
Recipe Variations
I love casseroles because they are so customizable depending on what you have in the fridge or what needs to be used up. This harvest chicken casserole is great for swapping ingredients if you want:
Try different proteins – Kielbasa or steak bites would be delicious in this dish!
Use pasta instead of rice – Of course orzo would be an easy swap, but bowtie (farfalle) or shells would be great options too. Stick with rice if you want to keep this recipe gluten-free!
Change up the veggies – If you have carrots, broccoli, cauliflower or green beans to use up, they would all taste great! You could also swap the sweet potatoes for red potatoes or Yukon golds.
Make it vegetarian – Drop the protein completely and use vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth, and you have a hearty vegetarian dish.
What to Serve with Harvest Chicken Casserole
I always love crusty bread with a casserole. Our no knead artisan bread would be a great choice or mega tasty herbed focaccia bread!
Besides bread, you really have all your bases covered with this casserole. It has veggies, grains and protein so it’s a meal in itself, but a winter fruit salad would round the meal perfectly if you want a little something extra!
Splurge on dessert with a slice of banana pudding cake or chocolate cake!
Storing and Reheating
Store: Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will keep for up to 5 days.
Freeze: This casserole freezes very well. It can be frozen with or without the rice included. Let it cool completely and freeze it without the toppings. It will keep for up to three months.
Reheat: Let a frozen casserole thaw in the fridge overnight. Place it in a casserole dish, add a little chicken broth to the dish so that it doesn’t dry out. You could add a little more honey mustard dressing too. Heat in the oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Indulge in a delicious and nutritious meal with this healthy harvest chicken casserole recipe. Packed with protein, vegetables, and whole grains, it’s the perfect dish for a cozy fall or winter evening.
More Casserole Recipes to Try:
Watch How to Make Harvest Chicken Casserole
Print
Harvest Chicken Casserole
Healthy Harvest Chicken Casserole is a comforting and nutritious dish that combines tender, lean chicken with an array of colorful vegetables, wild rice, and a light, creamy honey mustard sauce.
Course 60+ Family Friendly Easy Casserole Recipes
Keyword casserole, chicken, healthy
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 40 minutes minutes
Servings 6
Calories 437kcal
Author Carrian Cheney
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Sweet Potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 Cups Brussels Sprouts outer, halved
- 1/2 Red Onion diced
- Kosher Salt and Pepper
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 3 Chicken Breasts small, boneless, skinless
- 3/4 Cup Honey Mustard Dressing
- 1 ½ Cups Wild Rice cooked
- Sliced Almonds
- Pepitas
- Dried Cranberries
Preheat oven to 350℉.
Heat a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the oil.
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Place sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and red onion in the pot, season with salt and pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes then turn to medium. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until browning is beginning to form. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds or so.
2 Cups Sweet Potatoes, 2 Cups Brussels Sprouts, 1/2 Red Onion, Kosher Salt and Pepper, 2 Cloves Garlic
Add half of the chicken broth, salt and pepper, thyme, cumin and smoked paprika. Stir and cover with the pot lid for 5 minutes. Remove to a casserole dish.
Kosher Salt and Pepper, 1 Cup Chicken Broth, 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme, 1 ½ teaspoon Cumin, 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Turn the heat back to medium high. Add a little more oil and season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and then turn down to medium for 5-6 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3 Chicken Breasts, Kosher Salt and Pepper
Let rest 5 minutes then chop and toss with the honey mustard. Add all ingredients, including the remaining broth to a casserole dish except the pepitas, cranberries and almonds. Toss together.
3/4 Cup Honey Mustard Dressing
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve over the wild rice! Sprinkle each serving with the desired toppings.
1 ½ Cups Wild Rice, Sliced Almonds, Pepitas, Dried Cranberries
Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 468mg | Potassium: 895mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 6730IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 3mg
READ: Healthy Harvest Chicken Casserole