Ghostly Chicken and Rice Casserole

An American-style casserole built from seasoned chicken, rice, mushrooms, and a creamy sauce, then baked under ghost-cut cheese slices for a Halloween presentation. The rice cooks in the sauce so the grains absorb the savory broth while the top turns golden and bubbly.

By Julienne

Cook time: 38 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 5 ml olive oil
• 20 g unsalted butter
• 120 g yellow onion finely chopped
• 150 g cremini mushrooms sliced
• 3 clove garlic cloves minced
• 180 g long-grain white rice uncooked
• 2 g dried thyme
• 2 g smoked paprika
• 4 g fine salt
• 1 g black pepper freshly ground
• 15 g all-purpose flour
• 480 ml low-sodium chicken broth
• 240 ml whole milk
• 120 g sour cream
• 10 g unsalted butter
• 10 ml olive oil
• 450 g boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 2 cm pieces
• 2 g fine salt
• 120 g sharp cheddar cheese slices for topping and cutting into ghost shapes
• 8 g fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 190 C. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. If using the optional parsley, chop it now. Oven is fully preheated and the baking dish is ready.
2. In the medium saucepan, melt 20 g of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms have released their moisture, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. The vegetables are softened and fragrant, with no raw garlic smell.
3. Add the rice, thyme, smoked paprika, 4 g of the salt, and the black pepper. Stir for 1 minute to coat the grains, then sprinkle in the flour and cook 30 seconds more. The rice is evenly coated and the flour no longer looks dusty.
4. Pour in the chicken broth and milk, then bring to a simmer. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture thickens slightly but is still pourable. Stir in the sour cream and the remaining 10 g butter until smooth. If the mixture seems too thick to spoon into the dish, add 30 ml water only as needed to loosen it. The sauce looks creamy and lightly thickened, not dry or pasty.
5. Meanwhile, warm the skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 10 ml olive oil. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the outside is opaque and lightly browned but not fully cooked through, about 4 minutes. Season with the remaining 2 g salt. The chicken is no longer pink on the outside and has a little color.
6. Stir the chicken into the rice mixture, then scrape everything into the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 18 minutes. The rice has absorbed liquid and the casserole is beginning to bubble at the edges.
7. Remove the foil. Lay the cheddar slices over the top and cut or trim them into ghost shapes as needed. Return the casserole to the oven and bake uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the center is bubbling. For more color, broil for 1 to 2 minutes if needed, watching closely. The cheese is melted, the casserole bubbles in the center, and the top is lightly browned.
8. Rest the casserole for 5 minutes before serving. Scatter over the parsley if using. The casserole settles slightly and serves cleanly with a spoon.