Easy Chicken and Wild Rice Hot Dish

Submitted by Montana Heart Song

"The original recipe was prepared by Amy Thielen, in the October issue of Food Network magazine. I have substituted some ingredients due to unavailability and high cost. Green onions for leeks, evaporated milk and water for whole milk, sour cream for fresh cream and Rice a Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice for natural wild rice. This substitution saves time."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 35mins
• Ingredients: 19
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 1 (4 1/3 ounce) package rice a roni long grain and wild rice blend
• 6 tablespoons butter or 6 tablespoons margarine
• 1 2⁄3 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons chicken base
• 4 green onions, chopped including tops
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3⁄4 cup evaporated milk
• 3⁄4 cup water
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 1⁄2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups coarsely broken Ritz crackers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

directions

1. Empty contents of Rice a Roni box, 2 tblsps. butter, seasoning packet,.
2. 1 2/3 cup water, bay leaf and chicken broth base into large frying pan. Bring to a boil, stir and cover. Turn heat to low. Cook 25 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaf.
4. Pour into large bowl and cover. Set aside.
5. Preheat oven 375*.
6. In frying pan, heat 2 tblsp. butter. Add chopped green onions, celery, salt and pepper. Saute until slightly golden.
7. Stir in flour, evaporated milk, water. Wisk until mixed and creamy, about five minutes. Take off heat.
8. Add sour cream, thyme, nutmeg. Mix.
9. Add vegetable cream, chicken, half of the cheese to bowl.
10. Coat 9 X 13 pan with remaining butter. Pour rice chicken cheese mix into.
11. pan. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 25 minutes.
12. Shake crackers in bag with olive oil.rack.
13. Take out of oven, add crackers to the top. Bake 15 minutes until golden.
14. Note: This dish can be baked without crackers. Then reheated with crackers on top, until hot and browned.