This creamy and hearty Cheesy Turkey and Rice Casserole recipe is perfect to use leftover turkey or even chicken. Filled with fresh vegetables likes carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, and lots of cheesy goodness this easy-to-make casserole is always a family favorite.
What to do with leftover turkey or chicken is always a dilemma, especially if you roasted a great big turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or maybe you bought a rotisserie chicken and have some leftover, this casserole is the perfect solution.
You can make a quick and easy meal in less than an hour that will serve up a plate of comfort food that everyone loves. Just imagine a savory dish with juicy turkey or chicken, tender rice, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, and cheese all baked in a rich sour cream broth. No cans of condensed soup required.
Did I mention comfort food yet? If you love turkey, try these Turkey and Stuffing Roll-Ups. This is the perfect dinner to serve for a small family for the holidays or actually any day. It’s just like a delicious turkey dinner only much easier.
This tasty Cranberry Winter Fruit Salad makes a wonderful side to serve with the casserole. Don’t forget dessert, and there are lots of options, like this easy to make Apple-Cranberry Galette or Mandarin Orange Creme Caramel, that is also easy to make and quite the show stopper.
Simple ingredients
- Turkey or Chicken – leftovers are the best
- Butter
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Tomato
- Scallion
- Turkey or Chicken Broth
- Sour Cream
- Dilled Havarti Cheese
- Parmesan Cheese
- Salt & Pepper
What is Havarti Cheese?
- This recipe uses basic pantry staples, except for one that you probably don’t have on hand and that is the Dill Havarti Cheese
- Havarti is a Danish cheese that is buttery. creamy and slightly sweet. Made with whole milk, this cheese has a semi-hard texture that has lots of little holes called “eyes”
- You can find this cheese flavored with ingredients such as dill, cranberry, caraway, pepper, or basil
- For this recipe, you can use plain Havarti cheese
- Can’t find Havarti try substituting Swiss, Gouda, Cheddar, or maybe Monterey Jack, all of these would be delicious
Break out a skillet and a baking dish
Step 1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat then add chopped garlic and ¾ of the sliced scallions. Cook for about 2 minutes.
Step 2. Add the diced carrots, broccoli florets, diced tomato, rice, turkey or chicken, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
Step 3. Mix the chicken broth with the sour cream and pour into the skillet and stir well to combine.
Step 4. Over medium heat, bring these ingredients to a simmer, then add in half the Havarti cheese, and the parmesan cheese and stir to combine.
Step 5. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and place in a 425 degree F. oven for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Optionally – You can pour the ingredients into a baking dish and cover with foil and bake. This does make a prettier presentation and if there are leftovers you can easily put the baking dish in the fridge.
Step 6. Remove the casserole from the oven and turn on the broiler. Take the foil off and top the casserole with the remaining Havarti cheese and the parmesan cheese. Broil for about 2 minutes until the top of the casserole is golden brown.
Step 7. Sprinkle the top with the remaining sliced scallions and serve while hot.
Bake in a skillet or baking dish
For this recipe, you need a large ovenproof skillet, this12 inch skillet includes a lid that also is ovenproof which comes in handy for casseroles and stews. One thing I really like is the long handle and the smaller help handle so you can grab a heavy pan with both hands.
If you like, you can also use a baking dish for this casserole. Many different sizes will work but I use this 11″ x 8″ dish for most of my baking.
Don’t forget the cheese
Dill Havarti cheese adds a delicious creaminess to this casserole and with just a hint of dill flavor.
Don’t forget to Pin for Later!
Cheesy Turkey and Rice Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbls butter
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 5 oz. broccoli florets about 2 cups
- 2 carrots diced - medium sized1
- 1 plum tomato seeded and diced
- 5 oz turkey or chicken, shredded use leftover turkey or chicken (2 cups)
- 1 cup medium white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 6 oz dill Havarti cheese cubed
- 1 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° f.
- Prepare all the vegetables - chop the garlic, peel and dice the carrots, cut the broccoli into florets, slice the scallions and seed and dice the tomato.
- Dice the Havarti cheese into small cubes
- In a large ovenproof skillet (12" works great) melt the butter over medium heat, then add the garlic, carrots, and half ¾ of the scallion. Stir until soft, about 2 minutes.
- Add the rice, shredded turkey or chicken, broccoli florets, tomato, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine all the ingredients
- In a small bowl or measuring cup whisk the chicken stock and sour cream together then pour this mixture into the skillet and stir well and bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
- Once the mixture is simmering add half of the Havarti cheese and half of the parmesan cheese, stir to combine.
- Cover the skillet with an ovenproof lid or aluminum foil and place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed
- Optionally - pour the casserole mixture into a greased baking dish and cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the casserole dish from the oven and carefully remove the foil. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the casserole..
- Turn the broiler on and move the oven shelf to the top rack. Return the skillet/dish to the oven and broil for about 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Sprinkle with the remaining scallions and serve.
- If there are leftovers, cover the pan and place in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Notes
- using your favorite vegetables
- use turkey or vegetable stock
- you can use different cheeses as you like
- feel free to substitute plain Havarti cheese for the dill flavor, or you can use Swiss, Gouda, Cheddar, or Monterey Jack cheeses.
Nutrition
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About Jere’
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory recipes with all my baking friends.
Linda
What a great idea to use leftover protein in this casserole! And the best part, it works for a small group, too
Raquel
Amazingly easy and a delicious casserole recipe! Great with chicken too!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
This is a great new way to use up leftover chicken and turkey. A great easy dinner!
Adrianne
This is such a great recipe for leftover turkey! Perfect for this time of year also. I haven’t used Havarti cheese before but am keen to try it now. Thanks
Jere Cassidy
We are having turkey for Christmas and honestly glad to have leftovers so I can make this cassereole.
Dannii
We are always looking for new ways to use up leftover turkey and this looks comforting and delicious.
Kushigalu
Great recipe using leftover. Love the combination of ingredients here. Thanks for sharing
Irina
Some say that casserole recipes are for lazy people to cook, but I really enjoy to spoon into the dish and share this precious moment with my family. I love your recipe and cannot wait to give it a try!
Jere Cassidy
I know what you mean, but I view casseroles are comfort food.