Casserole Of Chicken (or Turkey), Rice, And Mushrooms

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms or 8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed, wiped clean, and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dry wine or 1/4 cup vermouth
• 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups converted rice, cooked according to package directions
• 3 cups diced cooked chicken or 3 cups turkey
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375°.
• 2 lightly butter a 2 1/2 quart casserole; set aside.
• 3 melt 1 tbs butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, add mushrooms, and cook, stirring often, 8-10 minutes until juices evaporate.
• 4 with slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a small bowl; add wine, toss lightly, and set aside.
• 5 add remaining butter to skillet and stir-fry onion 6-8 minutes until lightly browned.
• 6 blend in flour, salt, pepper, thyme, and sage, and when smooth, add broth gradually, stirring briskly to incorporate flour.
• 7 mix in half-and-half and cook, stirring constantly, 3-5 minutes until mixture boils and thickens.
• 8 taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.
• 9 return mushrooms to skillet along with any wine in bowl, then mix in cooked rice and diced chicken.
• 10 transfer to casserole, spreading to edge, and top with pecans.
• 11 slide onto middle oven rack and bake, uncovered about 25 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.
• 12 serve hot with baby green peas, butter beans, or asparagus or broccoli.