Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

One of the the things my mom used to make when I was a little girl was her famous chicken casserole (which I will post at another time). To this day it’s one of my favorite childhood dishes. But I wanted to come up with my own version, so here it goes:

What you will need:

Long grain and wild rice, chicken tenderloins, sliced baby bella mushrooms, onion, garlic (no, it’s not your imagination, the onion and clove of garlic did not make it into the picture), milk, poultry seasoning, thyme, cooking sherry, cream of chicken soup and cream of celery soup, shredded Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and butter.

Cook rice according to directions on box.

While the rice is cooking….

Chop one small onion.

In a large pan, add a few table spoons of olive oil.

Saute onions over medium heat until soft. Remove from pan and set aside.

Mince one clove of garlic. Set aside.

In the large pan, add 1 tbs of butter and olive oil.

add mushrooms and cook over medium high heat stirring often.

When the mushrooms begin to darken and soften, add garlic. Cook about 1 minute more stirring often.

Sprinkle in Thyme and cook about 1 minute more.

Pour in cooking sherry and cook until liquid is evaporated.

I think all that steaminess clouded up my camera lens.

Yes, I said steaminess.

In a large bowl, add cooked long grain and wild rice.

add onions.

then mushrooms and mix well.

Spray a large casserole dish with no stick spray. Spoon rice on the bottom.

Sprinkle tenderloins on both sides with poultry seasoning.

Place tenderloins on top of rice.

Top tenderloins with Parmesan cheese.

In a large bowl ( As you can see I used the same bowl I mixed the rice in. Less to clean up is always a good thing.) pour in both soups.

Don’t judge, canned soups can be yummy if used every once in a while.

add milk and stir to mix well.

Spoon over top of cheese and chicken.

Melt 2 tbs of butter.

Pour melted butter over bread crumbs.

Mix well to combine all that buttery goodness.

Spoon on top of soup mixture.

Place dish on a baking sheet. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly and chicken is no longer pink. Lift chicken and stir rice before serving.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

1 box of long grain and wild rice

1 lb. chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 pkg. sliced mushrooms (I used baby Bella)

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried Thyme

1/4 Cup cooking sherry (optional)

Poultry seasoning to taste

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1/2 cup milk

3 Tbs. butter, divided

Directions:

Cook rice according to directions on box. While rice is cooking, in a large pan, add a few table spoons of olive oil. Add onions and saute over medium heat until soft. Remove from pan and set aside.

In same pan as you saute onions, add 1 tbs of butter and olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook over medium high heat stirring often. When the mushrooms begin to darken and soften, add garlic. Cook about 1 minute more stirring often. Add Thyme and continue cooking 1 minute. Pour in cooking sherry and cook until liquid is evaporated.

In a large bowl, add cooked long grain and wild rice, onions and mushrooms; mix well. Spray a large casserole dish with no stick spray. Spoon rice mixture on the bottom of dish.

Sprinkle tenderloins on both sides with poultry seasoning. Place tenderloins on top of rice.

Top tenderloins with Parmesan cheese.

In a large bowl mix both cans of soups and milk. Spoon over top of cheese and chicken.

Melt 2 tbs of butter and combine with bread crumbs. Spoon on top of soup mixture.

Place dish on a baking sheet. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly and chicken is no longer pink. Lift chicken and stir rice before serving.