Cranberry Chicken Casserole

Cozy up to sweet, savory, tangy flavor with this Cranberry Chicken Casserole. Made with rice, chicken, and an incredible cranberry, orange juice, soy sauce, maple syrup combo, this dish is a winner for any night of the week.

Course dinner, gluten-free, lunch, meal-prep

Cuisine American

Keyword Cranberry Chicken Casserole

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 30

Servings servings

Calories 489kcal

Author Erin Antoniak

Ingredients

1.5 cups uncooked wild rice blend or brown rice
4 cups chopped butternut squash
2 tablespoon avocado oil
¼ teaspoon salt
5 small chicken breasts about 2 lbs
12 oz cranberries fresh or frozen
1 large orange juice + zest
⅓ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
¾ cup sliced almonds
½ cup dried cranberries

Instructions

Cook rice according to package. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400F. In a 9x13 casserole dish, add butternut squash, avocado oil, and salt. Toss until coated.
Bake squash for 35-40 minutes or until fork tender. Take out of oven.
Add cooked rice to squash and mix. Place chicken breasts on top of rice mixture.
Make cranberry sauce by combining cranberries, the zest and juice of 1 large orange, maple syrup, soy sauce, and sesame oil over medium high heat. Continue to stir occasionally, the cranberries will eventually burst and thicken, after about ten minutes. Test your sauce. If it is too tart for your liking, add ¼ cup more maple syrup.
Once thick, turn the heat off. Spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the chicken breasts.
Top with almonds and bake for 25-30 minutes or until internal chicken temperature reads 165F.
Sprinkle with dried cranberries and serve immediately.

Nutrition