Cheesy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

This is one of my favorite recipes that I found through Pinterest. I was excited to find more delicious recipes on Jenny's blog, Picky Palate. I love that most of the recipes use natural ingredients instead of cream of whatever soups. Be sure to check out her recipe and poke around her blog for a while. :)

(slightly adapted)
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 stalks celery, finely diced (tried with and without and I prefer without)
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 Tablespoons fresh minced garlic
2 Cups shredded, cooked chicken breast
2 Cups steamed white rice
16 oz prepared wild rice (I get mine at Trader Joes, LOVE it) (used a wild rice pilaf dry mix from Winco)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
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Cheese Sauce
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 Cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 Cups chicken broth
2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese

Top with 1 1/2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil into a medium dutch oven or pot over medium heat. (I like to saute my garlic first until it turns the very lightest brown (it will continue cooking with the veggies. Do not burn it!)). Saute onion, celery and carrots until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken, both rices, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Reduce heat to low.
2. To prepare cheese sauce melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper then slowly pour in chicken broth whisking continuously. Whisk until thick and nearly boiling then stir in cheese until melted. Pour cheese sauce into rice mixture then transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with additional cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted through. Serve.
8-10 servings

I think this recipe could freeze well too.