Dinosaur Dinner

Summary

Yield6
Source

A friend got it from a box of rice, and we've since enhanced it.

Prep Time20 minutes
Recipe CategoryDinner

Description

You might think this is a actually a Chicken-Cheese-Rice Casserole, but the kids devoured it only after I called it "Dinosaur Dinner."

Ingredients

  • 1⁄2 c Butter
  • 1⁄3 c flour
  • 1 med. onion
  • 3 clv garlic
  • 3 chicken bouillon cubes
  • 2 c Milk
  • 3 c leftover chopped chicken
  • 4 c brown rice
  • 1 c shredded cheese
  • 2 c leftover broccoli

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tell the kids to go look for Bigfoot in the backyard.
2) Melt butter in med. sauce pan on low to medium heat. (My dial goes 1-10, and I use 4).
3) Sauté onion to preference. I have to purée mine to pass kid-inspection. Add garlic -- sauté for one more minute. Two rules in my house: Don't wipe your bum on the bathroom rug and don't burn the garlic. One minute should be ample.)
4) Season, while sautéing, with salt and whatever you like. Don't get too fancy, though. At least, not the first time.
5) Add milk.
6) Add flour and CRUMBLED chicken bouillon cubes.
7) Whisk, baby, whisk. No lumps of flour allowed.
8) While whisking, bring heat up to a little more than medium. (I use 6-7) You want a slight boil.
8) After it boils, remove pan from heat.
9) Call the kids in from their Bigfoot search. Ask if they want to "help" plop in the chicken and broccoli, and stir. If they don't, you still have to.
10) Butter or Crisco or Pam the bottom of a 9x12 casserole dish. Deeper sides help prevent early burning. Spread rice in the bottom.
11) Spoon the chicken/broccoli mixture stuff on top.
12) Sprinkle cheese on top. Put in oven for 30 minutes or less. And WATCH it. You want bubbly, not blackened. My oven might be different from yours.

Notes

-- The cream sauce is the main deal here. You can get canned cream of 'shroom or chicken or both, but this tastes better and has fewer preservatives.
-- After you're familiar with the sauce, you can use it for other dishes as well.
-- Add sauteed mushrooms if your kids won't pitch a fit about 'em.
-- You might need to add more flour or milk as you go through the steps. Maybe up to twice as much. Just keep tasting it for an acceptable non-floury flavor.
-- Using leftover chicken -- or a rotisserie chicken from Costco or Sam's or wherever -- makes life sooooooo much easier.
-- Tell me if you make changes. I love to hear variations.