The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (19 page)

1. Lightly butter a shallow 2-quart casserole.
   
2. Rinse the wild rice in 3 changes of hot tap water, or until the water is no longer cloudy. Put the rice and water in a medium saucepan and cover. Bring the water to boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Drain any extra water from the rice.
   
3. In a small saucepan, combine the raisins and orange juice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Combine with the vegetables in a bowl and set aside.
   
4. Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. On a plate, mix the flour, basil, paprika, salt, and white pepper. Roll the chicken in the flour mixture until evenly coated. Reserve the remaining flour mixture.
   
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
6. In a large heavy skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons butter and the oil. Add the chicken pieces and brown quickly over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken and set aside. Stir the reserved seasoned flour into the drippings in the skillet. Stir in the cream and milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Stir in the raisin, orange, and vegetable mixture.
   
7. Arrange the rice in the buttered casserole. Cover with half of the sauce and lay the chicken on top. Cover with the remaining sauce. (The casserole can be made to this point, covered, and refrigerated. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.)
   
8. Bake, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
   

Sometimes called a “white chili,” this chunky chicken chili is colorful as well as tasty when served with a fresh tomato salsa and cilantro.

•••••

1
¹
/
₂
pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped onions

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

¹
/
₄
teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

2 fresh or canned jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

2 cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 cups shredded white Cheddar cheese

Sour cream for serving

Tomato salsa for serving

Chopped fresh cilantro for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. Wash the chicken breasts, pat dry with paper towels, and trim any fat. Cut crosswise into
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   -inch strips.
   
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, over high heat until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove to a dish.
   
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot and sauté the onions, garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the oregano, salt, jalapeño peppers, chicken broth, beans, corn, and the partly cooked chicken.
   
5. Cover and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Stir in the cheese and serve with the sour cream, salsa, and chopped cilantro.
   

Stewed Country Captain is said to have originated in India. The name was supposedly inspired by the British army officer who brought the recipe to England. It was probably brought to the United States by British immigrants. The fact that there are so many versions of this recipe indicates that it has become an American classic.

•••••

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1
¹
/
₂
to 2 pounds total)

1 teaspoon salt

1
¹
/
₂
tablespoons paprika

1 large onion, halved and sliced

1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

¹
/
₃
cup raisins

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 can (14
¹
/
₂
ounces) diced tomatoes with their juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 cups hot cooked rice for serving

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

¹
/
₂
cup slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish (see
Toasting Almonds
)

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole.
   
2. Rinse the chicken breast halves and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange in the casserole and sprinkle with salt and paprika. Top with the onion, pepper pieces, and raisins.
   
3. Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the garlic. Cook for 15 seconds over medium heat and add the curry powder. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Mix the tomatoes in their juice with the cornstarch in a small bowl and add to the skillet. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened.
   
4. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken pieces. Cover and bake for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through.
   
5. Serve the chicken over hot cooked rice and spoon some of the sauce over each serving. Garnish with the parsley and slivered almonds.
   

•••••

NOTE:
To toast the almonds, spread out on a baking sheet and place into the 350°F oven. Toast for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until aromatic and lightly browned.

A simple curry sauce flavors the chicken as it bakes. Serve with additional toppings, and it will taste as if you’ve spent the whole day preparing this delicious curry.

•••••

1
¹
/
₂
cups basmati or another long-grain rice

1
¹
/
₂
cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1
¹
/
₂
pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

4 tablespoons flour, divided

³
/
₄
teaspoon salt

¹
/
₄
teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons butter

¹
/
₂
cup chopped green onions (white and green parts)

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup pitted ripe olives, quartered

Toasted coconut for serving

Raisins for serving

Dry-roasted peanuts for serving

Mango chutney for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the rice evenly in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and pour the chicken broth over the rice.
   
2. Cut the chicken breasts into 2-inch pieces and dust with 2 tablespoons of the flour. Arrange the pieces on top of the rice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   
3. Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet and add the green onions, curry powder, and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir the remaining 2 tablespoons flour into the pan and slowly add the coconut milk, whisking to keep the sauce smooth. Cook until thickened. Add the sugar and lemon juice.
   
4. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is done. Sprinkle with the olives.
   
5. Put the coconut, raisins, peanuts, and chutney in small serving dishes and pass at the table.
   

A few years ago I was a judge for my local newspaper’s recipe contest. My category was chicken and poultry recipes. About half of the entries turned out to be exactly the same recipe with slightly different names, such as “My Own Original Chicken Casserole” and “My Mother’s Favorite Chicken Casserole.” Every recipe called for rice, chicken breasts, and various combinations of canned soup. Well, this recipe is along the same lines, minus the canned soup. I usually have homemade chicken broth on hand, which I cook up and freeze in 2-cup portions, ready to use whenever I need it.

•••••

1 cup basmati rice

¹
/
₂
cup chopped onion

2 cups boiling-hot chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1
¹
/
₄
pounds total)

1 cup tomato salsa (mild or medium)

1 mango, peeled, pitted, and diced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Salt

Pepper

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. Mix the rice and onion and transfer to a shallow 2-quart casserole. Pour the boiling chicken broth evenly over the rice. Rinse the chicken breast halves, pat dry with paper towels, and lay over the rice. Mix the salsa, mango, and fresh ginger and spoon over the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
   
3. Cover and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through and the rice has absorbed the broth.
   

This is an adaptation of an old-fashioned casserole that remains popular today. The original was probably designed by Campbell’s ages ago, and it still hangs around in the card files of grandmothers. It suggested baking the casserole for 1
¹
/
₂
hours. No wonder the chicken breasts were dry!

•••••

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)

4 slices (
¹
/
₄
pound total) Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese

1 recipe
Basic Mushroom Sauce
, or 1 can (10
³
/
₄
ounces) cream of mushroom soup

¹
/
₄
cup dry sherry

1 cup prepared crisp croutons

2 tablespoons butter, melted

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
   
2. Rinse the chicken breasts, pat dry with paper towels, and place in a shallow 8- or 9-inch square baking dish. Arrange a cheese slice on top of each piece of chicken.
   
3. Combine the sauce or soup with the sherry and pour over the cheese.
   
4. In a medium bowl, mix the croutons with the melted butter and sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken breasts are cooked through.
   

Inspired when our raspberry patch was red with berries, I added fresh raspberries as a garnish for these quickly baked chicken breasts glazed with raspberry jam. If you don’t have a berry patch, it’s worth splurging on raspberries just to scatter some on this dish.

•••••

1 cup medium-grain rice

1
¹
/
₂
cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

Pinch of saffron threads

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 to 1 pounds total)

3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried thyme

³
/
₄
teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

Salt

Pepper

FOR THE GLAZE:

3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon olive oil

¹
/
₄
teaspoon ground cumin

¹
/
₂
cup raspberries for garnish

2 tablespoons pine nuts for garnish

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart casserole.
   
2. Sprinkle the rice into the dish evenly. Mix the chicken broth and saffron and pour over the rice. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Lay over the rice and sprinkle with thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. (You can assemble the dish in advance up to this point. Refrigerate for up to 1 day, and add 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time.)
   
3. Cover the casserole and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes longer, or until the chicken is cooked through.
   
4. Meanwhile, make the glaze:
   Mix the raspberry jam, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, olive oil, and cumin and brush over the chicken.
   
5. Bake for 10 minutes longer, garnish with the raspberries and pine nuts, and serve.
   

The deep flavors and piquant aromas of southern Indian cooking come to life in this recipe. The chicken bakes in a yogurt and tomato sauce rich with herbs and spices.