Chicken Broccoli Casserole

My mom makes a “jam up” (slang for very tasty, she doesn’t use jam) chicken and rice casserole. Today I was thinking that’s what I want for dinner, I have a half a roasted chicken in the fridge, fresh broccoli, cheese, and in the pantry some rice and cream of chicken soup.

Game on but there is a twist, I get home and my chicken is missing the breast (must have flown the coup). Time to break out the emergency can of cooked chicken breast. I’m still about a cup shy so I notice the Italian sausage in the fridge. Decided to take a walk on the wild side and start by browning it (casing removed). Sorry mom I twisted it.

Cooking for me is not about what your recipe calls for but what you have on hand. This may take time thru trial and error, I have had many failures. To fail is not to try, keep trying and never give up hope!

Ingredients:

Some cooked chicken (about 3 cups cut up or shredded)
Medium head of broccoli (sauteed with onion and garlic)
2 cups cooked white rice (1 cup before cooking)
Can of condensed cream of chicken soup (low sodium)
1 cup of sour cream (used 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (used 2 hefty tablespoons)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly grated cheddar cheese (about 6 oz.)
I your feeling frisky and have it, 1 Italian sausage (casing removed)

A quick word on broccoli, use your vegetable peeler to remove the outside of the stem, don’t waste it.

In a sautee pan cook sausage and remove from pan, use fat to brown a tablespoon of chopped onion and toss in some finely chopped garlic. Remember to season each step with salt. Chop broccoli and add to pan with a couple tablespoons water (steam it).

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and cook rice covered about 13 minutes, turn off rice and remove from heat. Grease a 9 X 13 dish with butter and layer the rice on bottom. Then add cooked chicken, sausage and broccoli.

At this point all my veggies and meat are cooked, if yours are not cooked cover with foil cook the casserole for 30 minutes uncover and brown. Finally mix soup, sour cream, mayo, lemon juice and half the cheese (salt and pepper to taste) and paste the top. Then add the other half of cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

I only used about 3 oz of cheese on top, if you wanted to crush it (slang for make it really dang yummy) use more cheese.

Tech tip, leave a towel or pot holder on the edge of a hot dish to remind yourself or others it’s going to burn your hand. I cherish the one my grandmother gave me in the photo.