Chicken, Vegetable and Brown Rice Casserole

A good and fairly quick recipe. Little preparation time and one dish cooking, who could ask for more?

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 1 casserole

Ingredients

• 3  lbs chicken pieces
• 1  cup brown rice or 1  cup wild rice, uncooked
• 2 (10 1/2ounce) cans  of regular  cream of mushroom soup or 2 (10 1/2ounce) cans  98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
• 3⁄4 cup water
• 4  tablespoons dill weed
• 3  teaspoons paprika
• 1 1⁄2 cups  diced celery
• 1  medium onion, diced
• 2  cups  chopped carrots
• 1  cup  whole grain cracker, crushed
• 4  tablespoons butter or 4  tablespoons margarine
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a 9x13" or larger casserole dish stir together rice, soup, water, 2 tablespoons of dill weed, 1 teaspoon of paprika, salt and pepper to taste, celery, onion, and carrots.
3. make sure rice is covered by liquid.
4. Skin chicken pieces and place meat side up on top of rice and vegetable mixture, leaving about 1" between pieces.
5. Cover casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
6. After 1 hour, remove casserole from oven and check chicken for doneness by piercing thickest pieces and looking for clear juices.
7. If juices are pink or unclear put casserole back in oven and bake until juices run clear.
8. Meanwhile in a medium saucepan melt butter or margarine over low heat.
9. Remove pan from heat and add in the crushed crackers, remaining 2 tablespoons of dill, and remaining 2 teaspoons of paprika.
10. Stir well until butter is absorbed and mixture is moist.
11. Remove casserole from oven and discard aluminum foil.
12. Spoon cracker mixture over chicken pieces only and spread.
13. Place casserole back in oven and bake 10-15 minutes more or until cracker mixture is firm but not dry.
14. Remove casserole from oven and let stand 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed into the rice.