Week 63, Recipe 5: Cheesy Chicken & Wild Rice Bake

Photo from A Picky Palate blog

NOTES

• A great dish! I made two and froze one and we just ate it last week - it freezes nicely! Recipe below makes one 13x9 inch pan so double if desired.
• Recipe modified from A Picky Palate.
• Buy a large whole chicken, roast and then shred and chop to make 2 13x9 inch pans. See how to roast a whole chicken here. You can also bake some chicken breasts, boil some chicken breasts, or buy a whole roasted chicken at your grocery store.

 

INGREDIENTS

• Cooking oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 3 stalks celery, finely diced
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or finely shredded
• 2 c. shredded, cooked chicken breast (see ideas for getting the chicken in NOTES above)
• 1 1/2 c. dry white rice, cooked according to package directions
• 1 1/2 c. wild rice, cooked according to package directions
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• For cheese sauce:
•  2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 c. all-p flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, plus additional for topping casserole

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat a little oil into a medium dutch oven or pot over medium-low heat. Saute onion, celery and carrots until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken, both of the cooked rices, salt and pepper. Transfer rice mixture to a large bowl.
3. To prepare cheese sauce, melt the butter into a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper then slowly pour in chicken broth whisking continuously. Whisk until thickened a bit and nearly boiling then stir in cheese until melted.
4. Pour cheese sauce over rice mixture in a large bowl then transfer to a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with additional cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted through.

Week 62, Recipe 1: Quick Fried Rice

NOTES

• Make your rice the night or day before you want to make fried rice. Freshly cooked rice is too wet. 
• This is quick, flavorful and makes great leftovers so double the recipe below to have lunch for the next day!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups cooked leftover rice, white or brown
• 1 1/2 c. frozen mixed diced vegetables (or just corn & peas or whatever you have on hand), cooked according to package directions
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 3 tbsp soy sauce, more to taste (I like the Tamari brand)
• 1/2-inch chunk of ginger, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• Splash (1-2 tsp) sesame oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat and add a tbsp of oil. Add rice, making sure all grains are coated with a little oil then spread into a thin layer across the bottom of the pan. Let the rice cook for a few minutes then stir and spread out again. Continue until rice is starting to brown a bit. 

2. Push rice to the sides of the pan and spray a little oil or add a little oil to the center of the pan. Pour in eggs and let cook 30 seconds before stirring. Let sit again and stir, until just barely scrambled. Mix them into rice.

3. Add soy sauce, ginger, and garlic then stir. Add the cooked diced veggies, cooking until they are warmed through. Stir in the green onions and a tsp or 2 of sesame oil.

4. Taste and add more soy sauce if needed before serving.