Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Southern Style

Around the south, as mentioned in an earlier recipe, rice grows nicely in many areas and is a very important crop for many states.  Even so, wild rice, the grayish-brown grain, the real deal, remains fairly expensive compared to the white rice varieties which many grow.  In the grocers of many, around these parts and I suspect nationwide as well, is a very affordable New Orleans style mixture of rice, Zatarain's Long Grain & Wild Mix, and it is already seasoned too.  It is a quick fix side-dish for many meals and a useful ingredient in recipes as the one I am featuring.



Now before many of you go crazy on me, let me say I know that wild rice is technically not true rice, but we eat it as it is so that's all that matters to me.  And using a rice mix in a recipe as a shortcut is not all that bad either.  Heck, I'm all for cutting a few steps as long as the taste is not compromise, and folks, it ain't here.  Enjoy!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

layers of flavors with just enough sauce, lots of chicken with crunchy vegetables

about 8 servings

• 3 to 4 boneless chicken breasts
• kitchen seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic)
• 1 -7 oz Zatarain's Long Grain & Wild Mix Rice
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 -8 oz sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
• 1 -10.5 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 -6.5 oz button mushrooms, drained and rinsed, cut in half
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded mild cheddar cheese

Cover the chicken with water in a saucepan and add kitchen seasoning to taste.  Heat over medium high until simmer, reduce heat and cook on low for about 20 minutes to tenderize the meat.

Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. Fluff at the finish and let set.  Remove chicken and when cooled enough to handle, pull into bite size pieces.  Moisten with a little of the broth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking oil.
In a medium bowl, mix the soup, water chestnuts and vegetables together.

Spoon rice into the casserole and add the chicken.  Spoon the vegetable mixture over the chicken.

 

Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes or until heated throughout.  Add the cheese on top and bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.