Turkey Rice Casserole
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Made in just one pan this delicious Turkey Rice Casserole is filled with savory sautéed mushrooms, green peas, and lots of leftover holiday turkey! It’s a super easy heartwarming dish that is full of flavor and a complete meal that you can make in just 45 minutes!
Easy Rice Turkey Rice Casserole Recipe
It’s that time of year again when you find yourself thinking what am I going to do with all this leftover food!?! But I can help! Instead of making soup, why not dress up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey and turn it into this easy turkey rice casserole!?! It’s super tasty and a great way to use cooked turkey just hanging out in the fridge!
And if you liked my delicious Mushroom Rice recipe then you are going to love this recipe just as much. It’s full of savory perfectly sautéed mushrooms. Yet, instead of just mushrooms, this dish has some turkey added to the mix along with some peas, a bit of milk to make it a little creamier, and it’s topped with crispy breadcrumbs for another layer of texture.
But even better! It’s a complete meal made in just one skillet in about 45 minutes! You can add a side dish like my Parmesan Roasted Broccoli made with fresh broccoli if you want, but it’s really not necessary. Yet, I do sometimes set out any leftover Cranberry Sauce I have on hand to pair the savory flavors of this casserole with the sweet tartness, which is really yummy!
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Rice Casserole
- Easy and Inexpensive! This leftover turkey casserole is not only a great time saver but affordable to make too! And it’s made in just one pan, which means very little cleanup.
- Tasty Turkey Solution! Full of delicious savory mushrooms and a bit of milk for creaminess, this casserole is a great example of turning your leftover turkey into refined comfort food.
- Meal Prep Perfect! Great for family meal planning. You can assemble the casserole up to 2 days in advance and then just pop it in the oven to bake the day you wish to serve.
Topping
- Breadcrumbs – You can use regular breadcrumbs or panko.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter to mix with the breadcrumbs.
Casserole
- Olive Oil – I like to use olive oil, but any type of vegetable oil will work.
- Onion – Brown or yellow onion is the best choice. But you can use any type of onion you have on hand.
- Garlic – For the best flavor, mince your own garlic cloves. Jarred garlic can sometimes have a bitter taste if left open for too long. As a last resort garlic powder will work.
- Mushrooms – I use cremini or white mushrooms, but any type of mushroom can be used.
- Salt – A dash of salt melds all the flavors together and seasons the dish.
- Black Pepper – Use freshly ground black pepper if you have it on hand.
- Chicken Bouillon – Gives the casserole some extra salty savory poultry flavor.
- Long Grain Rice – Medium grain rice, basmati, or jasmine rice will also work. But I don’t recommend using short-grain rice, brown rice, or wild rice.
- Water – Needed to steam the rice.
- Milk – Any milk percentage will work to add a little bit of richness and makes the casserole creamy.
- Turkey – Leftover turkey is ideal. However, you can also cook a turkey or turkey breast just to make this yummy casserole. You can even use rotisserie chicken if you like.
- Peas – Frozen peas are used to add some color, flavor, and texture.
- Parsley – Used to garnish the casserole and add a fresh herby finish.
This easy recipe is made in just one skillet and comes together in under an hour! No casserole dish is needed! Once the mushrooms are sautéed it just takes a few simple steps before putting the casserole in the oven to finish.
To start, you need to preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) so that you can pop the casserole in to bake right away once it’s assembled.
The first step to making the casserole is to saute the onions and garlic. You’ll need a large oven-proof skillet to do this. Then once you’ve got your skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-heat heat. Now, add the onions to the pan and cook them for about 3 to 5 minutes or until they are soft and translucent. Then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until it’s aromatic.
Next, you need to create a layer of umami flavor! So add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook them for about 5 minutes or until they have cooked down and are beginning to brown. Then stir in the salt, pepper, and chicken bouillon. Finally, stir in the rice and sauté it for one minute while coating it in the spices.
First, pour the water and milk into the skillet and mix it together with the rice. Then bring the mixture to a simmer, turn the heat down to low, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook the rice for 20 minutes without removing the lid. When the cooking time is up almost all of the liquid should have been absorbed by the rice. Then taste the cooked rice and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Once the rice is cooked, remove the lid on the skillet and fluff the rice mixture with a fork. Then add the cooked turkey and peas and toss to combine. Then remove the skillet from the heat.
Finally, you can whip together the topping so you can get the casserole into the oven. Just mix the breadcrumbs together with the melted butter. Then sprinkle them evenly over the rice and it’s ready to go!
To bake, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake it for 20 to 25 minutes. When it’s done it should be golden brown on top. Then remove it from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Can I Add To The Casserole?
This creamy turkey casserole recipe is really versatile. You can add some cheddar cheese, different frozen vegetables like corn or carrots, herbs, or even cooked bits of bacon. Just remember to keep the ratios of the ingredients about the same and follow the instructions for the best results. And you don’t have to use turkey. Leftover rotisserie chicken is another great option.
Can I Make Dairy-Free Or Gluten-Free Turkey Casserole?
Yes! If you leave off the breadcrumbs or use a gluten-free variety this turkey rice casserole recipe is instantly a yummy gluten-free option. And if you use chicken broth in place of the heavy cream and a plant-based butter the recipe becomes dairy-free.
Expert Tips
- Rinse the rice before cooking. To remove any starch or debris it’s a good idea to rinse the rice by putting it in a strainer under cool running water. Doing this will result in fluffier cooked rice.
- Do not disturb the lid. While the rice is cooking it’s crucial that you do not remove the lid on the skillet for any reason. Doing so can potentially result in poorly cooked rice.
- Use unsalted butter. The chicken bouillon and breadcrumbs already have salt in them. So the extra salt in regular butter is not needed and can even ruin the dish by making it too salty.
Storage
Leftover turkey rice casserole will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat the leftovers, just sprinkle with a little water, cover them, and put them in the microwave for about 4 minutes on medium heat. You can also do this in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 12 minutes. Sprinkling with water will add some moisture as the casserole is reheating.
You can also store the leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months! Then reheat them in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes while still frozen. However, the time may differ depending on how much you reheat.
Other Turkey Recipes To Try
Or These Meatballs from Our Other Site
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Turkey Rice Casserole
Video
Ingredients
For Topping
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons butter (melted)
For Turkey Rice Casserole
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 cube chicken bouillon (crushed)
- 1½ cups rice (long grain, uncooked)
- 1½ cups water
- 1½ cups milk
- 3 cups turkey meat (cooked)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 375°F.
- In an oven proof large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the onion softens. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until they start to brown and cook down. Season with salt, pepper, chicken bouillon and stir. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute, until coated.
- Pour in the water, milk and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the turkey and peas to the skillet and toss. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl combine the breadcrumbs with the butter and sprinkle over the top of the rice casserole.
- Transfer the casserole to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown.
Equipment
Notes
- Rinse the rice before cooking. To remove any starch or debris it’s a good idea to rinse the rice by putting it in a strainer under cool running water. Doing this will result in fluffier cooked rice.
- Do not disturb the lid. While the rice is cooking it’s crucial that you do not remove the lid on the skillet for any reason. Doing so can potentially result in poorly cooked rice.
- Use unsalted butter. The chicken bouillon and breadcrumbs already have salt in them. So the extra salt in regular butter is not needed and can even ruin the dish by making it too salty.
- Leftover turkey rice casserole will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat the leftovers, just sprinkle with a little water, cover them, and put them in the microwave for about 4 minutes on medium heat. You can also do this in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 12 minutes. Sprinkling with water will add some moisture as the casserole is reheating.
- You can also store the leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months! Then reheat them in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes while still frozen. However, the time may differ depending on how much you reheat.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
