Store-bought roasted chicken and wild-rice packets can help busy cooks plan two hearty meals. CHRIS THELEN/STAFF

Chicken a la easy

Efficient shopping makes preparation a two-meal-for-one deal

Web posted October 18, 2000

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 Chicken wild rice casserole

By Karin Calloway
Columnist

One of my mottos as a quick cook is cook once, eat twice.

With a little planning and a good grocery list, you can minimize your time in the kitchen while providing great meals for your family. And, rather than reheating leftovers in the microwave, you can create two completely different meals, each delicious on its own.

This week's recipe for chicken wild rice casserole starts as a meal of supermarket roasted chicken with sides of packaged wild and long grain rice mix and steamed broccoli.

Instead of buying and preparing enough for just one meal, buy two chickens and two packages of rice mix. Prepare two packages of rice mix and serve half for your first meal with one roasted chicken. Then, dice up the meat from the extra chicken and combine with the cooked rice and a quick white sauce for a delicious casserole later in the week.

Preparing a white sauce is a simple process, but to make it even simpler I used a package of plain biscuit gravy. Chopped onions (the bagged, frozen kind are fine) are sauteed in a bit of butter or margarine, and chicken broth and milk are used in place of the liquid recommended on the package. For a richer dish or special occasions, use half and half or whipping cream instead of milk.

The sauce is combined with the cubed chicken, cooked rice and a can of drained, sliced mushrooms. The casserole is topped with a cup of sliced almonds and baked in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes.

The recipe is based on one from Tea-Time at the Masters, and it freezes beautifully. I like to place the mixture in the casserole dish, stick the whole thing in a jumbo zip-top freezer bag and stash it for another time.

Visit Karin Calloway's Quick Cooking recipe archive

Nutritional data: (per serving)

Calories: 465 Total Fat: 19 g      Saturated Fat: 4.5 g Cholesterol: 59 mg Sodium: 1,017 mg Total Carbs: 42 g      Dietary Fiber: 4.8 g Protein: 31 g

Using half-and-half instead of skim milk adds 38 calories, 4.5 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat and 14 milligrams cholesterol to each serving.

Give the casserole a day or two to thaw in the refrigerator, then let it sit at room temperature for a bit before baking as directed to let the casserole dish warm up before hitting the hot oven.

The casserole is a wonderful addition to a covered-dish dinner, or served for the family with sides of steamed green beans and cooked carrots. For company, add a tray of frozen yeast rolls, heated according to package directions, and serve a salad of bagged greens with diced apple, crumbled blue or feta cheese and bottled raspberry vinaigrette.

Chicken wild rice casserole

1 tablespoon butter, margarine or vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 2.75-ounce package biscuit-gravy mix

1 14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup skim milk*

2´ to 3 cups cooked, diced chicken

1 package wild long-grain rice mix, cooked according to package directions

1 7-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the butter, margarine or vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the gravy mix, then add the broth. Bring to a boil. When it begins to thicken, add the milk and cook 2 minutes more. Set aside.

Combine chicken, rice and mushrooms in a large bowl. Add sauce, combining well. Pour mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the top with the almonds and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until bubbly.

Makes 6 servings.

*1 cup half and half or whipping cream can be substituted for a richer dish.

Karin Calloway is a Web chef for Viking Range Corp. (www.vikingrange.com) and a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. You can write her in care of Newsroom, The Augusta Chronicle, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, GA 30903. Or send an e-mail to karingca@aol.com.

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