Peggy Flanagan’s Chicken and Wild Rice Hotdish
Ingredients
- ¼ cup hand-harvested Minnesota wild rice rinsed, see important note below
- 1¼ cups water
- salt
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 8 tbsp salted butter
- 2½ cups diced leek well rinsed
- 1½ cups chopped celery
- ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ⅔ cup whipping cream
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock
- ¾ tsp dried thyme crushed
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 cups roughly chopped cooked chicken
- 1½ cups grated aged cheddar cheese
- 2 cups coarsely crushed Ritz crackkers about 2 sleeves
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring the rice, the water, a pinch of salt and the bay leaf to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, about 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender. (Drain off any remaining cooking liquid.)
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the leek and celery; season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables in the pan; stir until well combined. Add milk and bring mixture to a simmer, whisking to prevent any lumps. Add the cream, stock, thyme, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat for about 5 mintues. Add the cooked chicken, wild rice (minus the bay leaf) and half of the cheese, stirring until the cheese melts.
- Pour the mixture into a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the crushed Ritz crackers, olive oil and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a heavy plastic bag; shakke to combine. Sprinkkle the crackker mixture evenly over the chicken mixture, and bake for 25 minutes more, until the crackers are dark brown and the center is bubbly.
Notes
Note: If you’re not local to Minnesota, you can buy our natural wild rice online; search for “Minnesota wild rice” and avoid anything labeled “cultivated.” Because it’s hand-processed, natural wild rice needs a little extra love. Rinse the rice under running water, swishing it around until the water runs clear. Transfer the rice to a saucepan and add water to cover. Pour off any black bits or floating kernels, and pour the rice back into a sieve to drain.