2011, Recipe 82: Creamy Chicken & Rice Casserole

Recipe courtesy of Denise's Kitchen (I put my modifications in italics)

1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced

2 cups rotisserie chicken plus drippings

2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste 

1 1/2 – 2 cups chicken broth

1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Shred leftover chicken and set aside in a bowl.
3. Add oil to a hot pan and add the onions. Cook on medium heat for two minutes.
4. Add the shredded chicken along with the pan drippings from the previous night’s baking of said chicken (including about a tablespoon of that glorious chicken fat if you have some).
5. When drippings are incorporated into the chicken and onions, add the butter, flour, thyme, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until everything is fully incorporated.
6. Add chicken stock and mushrooms and mix thoroughly.
7. Simmer for 5-10 minutes on low heat with the cover on.
8. Incorporate sour cream and then add the rice, mixing fully. If the mixture seems thick, add in another 1/2 cup chicken stock.
9. If baking in a separate dish, this is the time to butter the inside and then set the mixture inside, topping with the breadcrumbs. If baking in the same pan you used to cook the ingredients, (which is my preference) then just top with the bread crumbs and set in the oven.
10. Bake for 20 minutes and then serve with a nice salad or steamed vegetable.


Results:  I loved the idea of using rotisserie chicken and SOUR CREAM! The sour cream really excited me!  It did creamy wonderfully!  My biggest annoyance was that this recipe's ingredients weren't listed in the order they were used.  Me fail: I didn't have mushrooms.  Boooo.  But beyond that, this recipe seemed to be missing something... like one more spice or more of one used would have made this better.  Maybe more of the thyme and more paprika?  Maybe rosemary instead of thyme?  This recipe had good bones.  It just could've used a little boost.

*Also... HAPPY 350TH POST TO US AT THE RECORD DISH!!  It was the brainchild of our friend, Ashli, who promptly stopped blogging.  LOL  Thanks for the idea, anyway!  What started as a music, fashion & food blog has become mostly a food blog with a splash of fashion.  No matter!  Happy, happy!