Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Crunch Time Fallbacks—Creamy Chicken

RileyAdamsFoodBlogPostpic_thumb_thumb[3]Okay, so we all have them…the recipes we need to fallback on when life gets crazy. The kind of recipes that we know by heart and can find all the ingredients easily at the grocery store (even when we don’t have our list with us.)

One of mine is Creamy Chicken. The nice thing about this recipe is that it’s a great base recipe for different ingredients. If you have a 1/2 cup of onions or a cup of sliced mushrooms in your house? You can add them. If you have steamed broccoli to put on the bottom of the casserole and French-fried onion topping in your house? You can add those instead. A cup of peas and cup of shredded Parmesan? Those are great additions. Want it over rice or egg noodles? Just increase the amount of soup/sour cream to have a little extra sauce for your rice or noodles. Like poppy seeds? Those are great to add in, too. Only have cream of celery soup? Not a problem! Have some extra carrots on hand? Or chopped potato? Throw them in! :)

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The Basic Creamy Chicken Casserole

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (I usually like to season the chicken while I cook it—a nice herb blend is usually what I toss in)
1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of celery…or cream of mushroom)
8 oz. sour cream
1 1/2 cups buttery crackers, crushed
1/4 cup melted butter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first 3 ingredients, then combine crackers and melted butter and sprinkle over the mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbling.

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Mine had some mushrooms and Parmesan in it, since I had it around. :) The nice thing is that I feel l could have this kind of close together in my supper rotation and have nearly two different meals for the family.

Don’t forget about our two recent releases, y’all! They make the perfect Christmas gifts: Cleo’s Holiday Grind and Krista’s Diva Cooks a Goose!

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Riley/Elizabeth
Delicious and Suspicious (July 6, 2010) Riley Adams
Pretty is as Pretty Dies –Elizabeth Spann Craig

14 comments:

  1. I think this is the easy and most diverse recipe I've seen for a chicken casserole. I love the idea that you can add more and change ingredients so that you don't have the same take on it each time if you like. This looks yummy and sounds like a good comfort food for the cold days we're having.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  2. Mason--It's COLD, isn't it? Of course, you and I are feeling it more than most, since GA and NC aren't usually so frigid! Stay warm! :)

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  3. This is what we need right now a great HOT recipe and so easy. This is the easiest one I have seen yet. These cold temps make you want nothing but hot comfort foods to help stay warm. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Elizabeth, how do you usually cook the chicken you use? I agree with Babs and Mason, this sounds hot and comforting!

    And thanks for reminding everyone about The Diva Cooks A Goose! Not that I mean to pitch it, but paperbacks are a great gift. What else can you buy for less than $8.00 that people enjoy -- and -- they're not made in China! ; )

    ~ Krista

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  5. Babs--Very, VERY easy. And I usually have all the ingredients for it at hand....and then can just throw in whatever I have in the pantry! :)

    Krista--For this, I usually saute it in some butter and garlic on the stovetop...although I'm sure many Southern cooks would boil the chicken. I do like the extra flavor from a saute. :)

    Paperbacks are the BEST gifts! To me, in the age of gift cards, books are a PERSONAL gift--we've thought about the recipient and selected something they would enjoy. You simply can't beat the price, either! And Made in the USA! :)

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  6. Your list of ideas literally had my mouth watering. We're at 21 degress in NYC. Not as cold as some parts of the country, but plenty cold enough for me to want this warm, comforting, creamy chicken for lunch! The versatile fun of your recipe is absolutely brilliant. I can't wait to try a variety of versions. Thank you, Elizabeth, and thanks for the sweet mention of Holiday Grind. (I hope your holiday season is anything but. :))

    Keep warm!
    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  7. Love this recipe, Elizabeth. Casseroles are just the best this time of year, aren't they? And I love how easy it sounds.
    You guys make me laugh, but how true about paperbacks. Inexpensive and made in the U.S. It's so hard to find gifts made here these days and I've looked!

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  8. I can see myself making this sometime soon. You can't go wrong with chicken in my house and I'm all for easy right now! Thanks for sharing the recipe. :)

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  9. Have you been hanging out in my kitchen?!! I especially love it with broccoli,

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  10. Cleo--Brr! Hope y'all stay warm inside! Sounds like a good time to hole up and write your next book (and drink some of the yummy Cleo coffee!)

    Julie--I think it's almost impossible to! Yay for paperbacks!

    Janel--Easy is important this time of year!

    Kaye--I wish I *were* hanging out in your kitchen! Last I heard, you were having some hot chocolate. :)

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  11. Elizabeth,
    This is perfect timing!! I was at our butcher today and was able to get 10 pounds of skinless/boneless chicken breast for $1.29/lb!! I bought 20 pounds because of the price...once I got home and was faced with what to do what to do...so after packaging & freezing some of it I diced up a bunch and began sauteing!! After spoiling the doggie girls with generous helping I then portion it all into freezer bags. All this to say...the world famous (well at least here at MLK!!) Chef Connor made your casserole!! No peas...(ugh, shudder and quake)extra 'shrooms, broccoli, some leftover Cleo's rosted cauliflower, carrots and a dash of sherry (Mama's stressing over getting things done)...perfection!!!
    Thanks for a wonderful foundation to many future casseroles!!!!
    Nanc

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  12. Nanc--That sounds like a masterpiece and a vast improvement over my base recipe! I'm so glad it worked out so well...that sherry sounds like a must in my next batch! Chef Connor is a whiz!

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  13. Sounds like comfort food on these wintry days!

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  14. Oh Elizabeth...not an improvement...just a variation on a theme and an excuse for me to have some sherry :-)!!! Of course when I re-read my comments it looked like I had more than a "nip"...typos galore!!
    I went back tonight and printed lots of the chicken recipes from here! Mr.Nanc was a bit aghast when I told him we had 20 lbs of chicken breasts!! Wishing you and yours a very blessed and Happy Christmas!

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