Chicken and Rice Casserole

Last week, I posted that I made a chicken and rice casserole that I found in the March 2013 issue of the Food Network Magazine. As promised, here is the recipe, along with my thoughts/advice/commentary.

FYI: This recipe is supposed to be made in an ovenproof skillet. You prepare all the ingredients in the skillet, and then put the entire thing into the oven. I don't have one of those (note to self: add to wedding registry!) so I just prepared everything in my nonstick skillet and transferred it to a glass baking dish. Both should have walls at least a few inches tall, as there are lots of ingredients to throw in!)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 scallions, sliced (I used onions since I already had them at home)
2 cups broccoli florets (frozen is fine)
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, skin removed
1 cup medium grain rice
1 plum tomato, chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup grated dill havarti cheese (the recipe calls for diced, but it's easier to spread around if it's grated)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Prepare

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet (see above) over medium heat. Add garlic and scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about two minutes.

2. Add the broccoli, chicken, rice, tomato, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

3. Whisk the chicken broth and sour cream in a bowl. Pour into skillet and bring to a simmer. Add half the havarti. Stir to combine. Let simmer for three to five minutes, until the rice has just started to cook.

4. If you've prepared everything in an ovenproof skillet, simply cover tightly with aluminium foil and put it in the oven to bake. If you've used a regular skillet, SLOWLY pour the ingredients into your baking dish. After you've poured, stir briefly to make sure all the ingredients (especially the rice) are spread evenly through the dish. The first time I made this, the rice all got piled up in one corner, and didn't cook properly.

5. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the rice is soft and most of the liquid is absorbed.

6. Uncover, add remaning havarti and parmesan cheese. Broil for about two minutes, until the top starts to turn brown.

7. Serve and enjoy!!

If anyone makes it, let me know what you think! It takes a long time to prepare, but it's SUPER easy. I think you guys will like it!