ISO Creamy Chicken Rice Casserole w/o soup!!!!

[imloulou]

Help!

Remember the Chicken and Rice casserole your mom used to make?...creamy, browned on the top...YUM! I want to make this tonight but I cannot find a recipe without canned soup! I would actually have nothing against using canned soup if I had it in the pantry. I just dont keep it around. (and Oprah is on with James Frey and I HAVE to see this so I am not leaving for the store before dinner...lol!)

I searched the forum, I searched the internet, and all the recipes use the soup. I am not looking for the spanish version. Just the chicken, rice, and soup version without the soup. (but still creamy)

Does anyone have a substitution suggestion? Or a great recipe?

Thanks...

[Aubergine]

make a basic white sauce (beschamel) in place of the soup...you know, milk, flour, butter (or not)...

[PAMMELA]

Here's one:

One Pot Chicken Rice Dinner

4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme or tarragon
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Blend in flour and thyme and cook 1 minute. Do not brown. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until thickened and smooth. Stir in chicken and add salt and pepper; set aside. Grease a 1 1/2 quart shallow baking dish. Spread rice in prepared baking dish; sprinkle with the peas and pour creamed chicken over all. Dot with remaining tablespoon of butter then sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese. Bake chicken and rice recipe at 400° until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
This tasty chicken and rice recipe serves 4.

[imloulou]

Thanks to both of you!

I am going to make a white sauce like Aubergine suggested. I am sauteeing (sp?) onions in butter right now then will add milk and flour and thicken. I'm going to add this, rice, chicken broth, mushrooms, celery, and spices (I like the idea of the thyme that is in PAMMELA's recipe). Then I'm going to stick uncooked chicken breasts on top and bake covered for part then uncovered to crisp up the top.

I'm going to use rissoto to make it creamier.

(I just wrote all that above for anyone needing it but it was also a brainstorm and I did not want to forget it...lol! )

Thanks for your quick replies in my time of desperation... :D

[Canice]

Here's another for your repertoire, Lisa!

From "The Big Book of Casseroles"
Chicken Casserole with Cheese Sauce
This makes a festive luncheon dish when served with a seasonal fruit salad.

2 cups chicken stock
1 cup long-grain white rice
2-3 tablespoons butter
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
3-4 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey breast
Parmesan Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, bring stock or water to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, and cook, covered, until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Place in a 4-quart casserole dish lightly coated with cooking spray or oil.

Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, and almonds. Sauté until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and basil. Add to rice in casserole and stir in chicken or turkey and Parmesan Cheese Sauce. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
Bake, covered, until bubbly, about 45 minutes.

Parmesan Cheese Sauce
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. dry white wine
3 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and salt and stir until bubbly. Add stock and stir until slightly thickened. Add milk, wine, and Parmesan cheese, and stir until smooth and flavors are blended, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream.

[imloulou]

Thanks Canice!!!! I put it in my file to try...it looks good!

Last nights experiment was a success...everyone liked it :D