Skip to main content

Chicken, Rice, and Broccoli Casserole



Since we have dipped our toes into raising and butchering our own chickens, there has been an abundance of leftover cooked chicken at our disposal.  And not wanting to literally dispose of the leftover chicken,  I have had to come up with some recipes to use it in.

I have always loved the comforting taste of a rice casserole, so I checked the pantry to see what I had available to use with my leftover chicken, and the result was this casserole.

I used my big cast iron pan to cook it in, since I can also use that pan in the oven--it saves on dishes.  Also, we had a handful of Cheez-Its sitting in the pantry, so that is what we opted to use for the topping.



Chicken, Rice, and Broccoli Casserole

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups chicken stock
2 to 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1 10.5 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup crushed crackers, chips, or bread crumbs
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped, fresh rosemary (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add brown rice; saute rice in butter until golden.  Stir in chicken stock.  Bring to a boil (increasing heat if necessary).  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender.

3.  Stir in cooked chicken, broccoli, mayonnaise, yogurt, cream of mushroom soup, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese.

4.  If you are using a heat proof skillet, you may keep the casserole in the skillet.  If not, transfer the casserole to a 3 quart baking dish.  Combine the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese and crushed crackers.  Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

5.  Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until casserole is hot and bubbly.  If desired, broil the top of the casserole for 2 to 3 minutes to brown the top.

6.  Sprinkle the chopped rosemary over top the casserole just before serving.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Why Did My Chicken Lay That Strange Egg? {Decoding 10 Chicken Laying Issues}

What do you got? A huge egg with two yolks in it?  A wrinkly misshapen egg?  An egg with a soft shell?  Or perhaps the all-inclusive just plain weird looking egg? Whatever it is, I hope to help clear up some of the mystery behind: Why Did My Chicken Lay That Strange Egg?

Soapmakers: Why You Shouldn't Use Vinegar if You Come into Contact with Lye

It was one of the first things I learned when I began making my own soap; I read it in books and on the internet: "Always keep a jug of vinegar on hand when you are working with lye.  Vinegar neutralizes lye." Soapers, have you heard this?  Do you practice the habit of keeping vinegar nearby when you make your soaps?  So did I, until recently, when I read an interesting post on a soap forum, and then decided to research the claim myself.

Homemade Tomato Trellises

Since we love homemade ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and salsa (okay, well I love salsa anyway), tomatoes have become one of our favorite garden plants.  It's so nice having some garden tomatoes in the freezer to cook with all winter long--say, for some good Italian or Mexican food. Since we use lots and lots of tomatoes, it means we must also grow lots and lots of tomatoes.  Growing so many tomato plants, we have always been presented with the problem of what to use for cages or trellises.  You see, tomato plants can grow to be quite large and heavy, which means that if you have no support for your plants, the fruits will wind up developing on the ground--leading to rotting, slug infested tomatoes!  There is nothing more disappointing than having to throw away half of your tomato harvest because pests got to them. Tomato plants that are kept up off the ground typically have better yields, less instance of disease and pest infestation, and are easier to harvest, so we definitely wa