Chicken Rice Casserole

Chicken Rice Casserole/Soup

Chicken (I usually use 6-8 boneless/skinless breasts)
Rice (about 4-6 cups dry or 6-8 cups cooked)
2 cans Chicken Broth
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cans of water (usually use the soup not broth cans)
1-2 cans cream of whatever soup (usually use cream of chicken)
Onions (about ½ fresh onion—I usually use dry minced or powder)
Carrots, chopped/diced
Celery, chopped/diced (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. Poultry seasoning
1-2 tsp. garlic powder

I usually do this on the stovetop. Cook chicken, carrots, celery along with the broth in a skillet. Cook rice separately in my rice cooker and then add it along with the spices to the chicken and veggies when the chicken is cooked completely. Let it simmer for a while for the rice to pick up the chicken flavoring also make sure that there is enough liquid in it. Sometimes I will add milk to it for the extra liquid.

If you want to do it in the oven put it all together without cooking the rice first in a covered casserole dish. Cook @ 350°, if in a glass dish cook @ 325° for about 1 ½ hours.

I usually make the casserole for one meal and then later in the week take the leftovers and make Chicken Rice Soup. You should not have to add any more spices to it. To make into soup add 2 more cans of chicken broth with 2 cans of water (use broth cans this time) and 2 more chicken bouillon cubes. If you are not going to do the casserole first and make soup from scratch, I would cook the chicken and veggies in water so that the chicken can make some of its own broth. Still would cook the rice separately from the chicken. Once chicken is cooked completely and veggies tender, add rice, spices, broth, cream whatever soup, milk (1/2 of a soup can),water, and 2-3 chicken bouillon cubes. I would add the water last as then you can be the judge as to how “soupy” you want the soup.

Looking for more chicken recipes, head over to Jen-Frugal Upstate's Frugal Food Series--Chicken.