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Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole - 1970's Style

Chicken and Wild Rice, 1970's Style

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Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb chicken tenders, cooked and cubed or 1 lb mixed dark and white about 3 cups cooked chicken
  • 4 oz button mushrooms or baby bella
  • 2 4.3 oz packages wild rice
  • 1 small onion or 1/2 large, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, sliced
  • 2 green onions
  • 4 tbsp butter plus 1 tbsp oil for sauteing
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth, more if needed
  • 1 cup half & half or heavy cream I have tried with a lactose free milk and it worrks well
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley plus a little for garnish
  • 1/2 cups toasted sliced almonds
  • olive oil for browning the chicken
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. I cooked the chicken tenders by lightly salting and peppering,  and browned them on both sides with a little olive oil.  I then added about 1/4 cup water, put a lid on, reduced the heat to simmer and cooked them a few minutes until cooked through.  You can also use a chicken you have boiled or even a rotisserie chicken leftover. I then diced the chicken and set aside.  This will be about 3 cups of cooked chicken.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cook the rice according to package directions 
    Meanwhile, saute the onions, celery and green onions in the butter and oil.  After the onions have become tender and translucent, add the flour and cook for about a minute or so.  Add the chicken broth and the half and half or heavy cream, whisking to ensure no lumps.  Add the thyme, parsley and salt and pepper.  Since you are using chicken stock, and you salted and peppered your chicken check to see if the sauce needs a little salt.  You will want to add a little pepper; however, if you want to wait to salt after the casserole is put together, this would ensure you would not over salt.  If you need more chicken stock because your sauce seems too thick, add a little at a time to adjust. 
    In a dry skillet, toast your almond slices until lightly browned.  
    In a buttered casserole, add your cooked ingredients and top with the toasted almonds   Cook for about 20 minutes until bubbling around the edges and it is golden brown on the top! 

Notes

This recipe is easily doubled or tripled!