Cranberry Chicken and Rice Recipe

I have no idea why I’m writing this post.  For some reason I felt the need to post this recipe.  I’m by no means a chef, but I’m constantly trying something new, though never anything adventurous!  (I’m a picky eater.)  I thought of this one when I bought a bunch of Craisins that were BOGO and figured surely they were good for something other than salad.  I think I like it because it pretty.  While it has something from every food group, I don’t think it can be called healthy. 

I’m not so good at measuring things, so should you decide to try it, you must use you imagination and sense of judgment a little.

You will need:

1 cup rice (parboiled works well for this since it doesn’t get soggy)

~1 3/4 cup water

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

3 or so chicken breasts

Seasoning of your choice (I use Greek)

Craisins

Italian Bread Crumbs

Mozzarella or Swiss Cheese (or whatever you want)

Directions:

Season the chicken as desired and bake it in a casserole dish at 350 degrees just until done.  (If you brown it first it is tastier, but that just dirties another dish and takes more time.)  Dump out any juices when done.

While chicken is cooking, bring the can of soup and water, seasoned as desired, to a boil then cook the rice until just barely underdone.  (You will be putting it in the oven and you want the end product to be just a bit moist.)  I also add broccoli (or something green) to the rice.  When you add it depends on if it is fresh or frozen or if you pre-cook it.  This is what I have trouble with as it often ends up overcooked.

While waiting on the above, mix Craisins, bread crumbs and cheese into a food processer and chop it up.  Make enough to layer the top of whatever size casserole dish you are using.

Once the rice and chicken are done as described above, add the rice to the chicken, (if the rice seems a little dry, just add a little water  to it or use the chicken juices) then layer the bread crumb mixture on top and bake just a little longer. 

This is yummy and colorful.  Josiah even loves it, though he eats almost anything.  I’ve also used pork chops.  It sounds a bit labor intensive, but really it just involves throwing chicken in the oven, cooking rice, and a little mixing.  I think next time I’ll shred the chicken to make it more casserole-like.

Let me know if you try it, how it turns out, and if you have pointers.  I’m also always looking for new meal ideas, so please share.