Recipe - Chicken & Rice Casserole

Tonight we're having chicken and rice casserole, so I thought it'd be a good opportunity to share the "recipe".  I put the word recipe in quotes only because it's a bit on approximations, but that makes it easy to remember.  It is also what you'd call "semi-homemade".  This means it's a combination of packaged and fresh ingredients.  Make no mistake, this recipe is pretty high calorie, and may not present well for anything formal, but it makes a great hot, comforting meal for a family.  Also, because of the approximations used in the recipe, it is easy to double.  The directions below will be for a family of two, or two plus a toddler!  It takes approximately 10 minutes to assemble and an hour to cook and cool.

You will need:

1 box Rice A Roni (used Creamy Four Cheese tonight)
Butter
1 can cream of chicken, or cream of chicken and mushroom, or cream of mushroom depending on preference
8 oz sour cream
Grated cheddar (or other cheese of choice)
Water
2 breasts of chicken
Broccoli (optional)

First, brown the Rice a Roni with butter per the box instructions.  Once browned, pour rice into a square baking dish.

Meanwhile, mix together the can of cream of chicken soup, approximately 8 oz (or eyeball half a 16 oz container), the flavor packet from the Rice a Roni,  approximately 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese, and half the water indicated on the box of rice instructions.  Whisk this together and pour over the rice mixture.  Give a loose mix, just to get the grains of rice mixed a little.

Then, rinse and dry the chicken breasts and place them on top of the mixture.  In most cases the chicken will sink below the liquid level, but if not, spoon a bit of soup mix on top so the chicken is covered.

Tonight I did a side of vegetables, but sometimes I add broccoli to the casserole.  In this case I cut the pieces into flowerettes and stick them in the soup sauce between and around the chicken.  Again I spoon some of the mixture on top so that the surfaces are covered.  This just helps things get cooked more evenly.

Lastly I add another cup or so of grated cheese to the top and cover tightly with foil.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.  Then remove the foil cover and cook another 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit at least 5 minutes or more before serving.

 The finished product is a bit soupy, but like I said before, it tastes so good and it's such a warm comfort food you won't complain!