Last week we had rotisserie chicken from Sam's Club. I bought two, and very little got eaten. So today I realized that the chicken was now on the last day before euthanasia list and something had to be decided, pronto.
I don't like magazine recipes that show you how to make one dish then make another out of the leftovers. I cook for an army and I still can't rely on enough leftovers to ever make another complete dish. Not in my house, never gonna happen. But, when I realized I had all this chicken, I decided to go ahead and proceed with the second chance dinner. The chicken was already done, so I was already halfway done. I actually had SO much chicken that I decided to make one batch for dinner now and another to freeze for later. I'm starting to wonder why my homemaking skills seem to be flourishing lately, but I don't care to think about such oddities right now.
So, here is my latest mishmash of deliciousness whipped up quick and easy and ready to the table lickety split. If you start out with a bunch of leftover chicken, chances are you've also got the makings for a 2 for 1 bonanza as well. Many of my recipes are made by trial and error and taste, so this is one that really has no rules, measurements, or required ingredients. If you have rice and cheese, you can make it fit your own taste.
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Ingredients:
You need a protein. I used chicken. You could use turkey, pork or tofu. Heck, you could probably get away with NO protein if you prefer. I used the leftover chicken from 1 rotisserie chicken. You could also use canned or cook your own and cut up. I would suggest the equivalent of 1 rotisserie chicken or half a bag of frozen chicken breasts or chicken tenders or 3 to 4 cans of canned cooked chicken (or whatever you're using). It needs to be cut up, shredded, or cubed.
You need a base. I use Minute rice. You can use regular rice, Minute rice, brown rice, or even egg noodles. Whatever you choose, cook it first.
It needs texture and color and flavor. I used a bag of mixed frozen vegetables and I diced 1 medium to large onion. A bag of broccoli or peas or corn would be just as good.
It needs binding. I use cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup. It needs at least 2 cans or 1 supersize can. Feel free to experiment with your soup binder. Use cheesy soup or cream of celery.
It needs creaminess. I used plain Greek yogurt. You can use yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, Miracle Whip. They each have unique flavors and will result in slightly different tastes.
It needs cheese. This really needs to be a cheddar. You could use a 4-cheese Mexican blend or a colby, but it has to be at least 16 ounces. Yes, it's not worth it if it's not cheesy. It also needs to be shredded.
Chicken has to be cooked. Rice has to be cooked. Add to a large mixing bowl. Dump in soup. Dump in vegetables. Stop as needed to cry over the onions. Make your children think cooking is physically painful. Take your creamy stuff and add about 1/2 to 1 cup. Add about 1 cup of your cheese and stir all ingredients. Here's where you're on your own: Taste and decide if anything needs changing. This is also the time to start using spices. I use Creole seasoning, pepper, and garlic salt. You may find you need more of your creamy stuff here. You may find you want to add sour cream or mayo or whatever. Taste, taste, and taste until it's "AHA!" perfect.
Spread in 13 x 9 baking pain. Cover with remaining cheese (yes, all of it). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheese is all gooey and inside is completely heated through. Remove from oven. Admire its beauty. Pat yourself on the back. Declare dinner a success.
