The Scoop
This chicken, rice, and mushroom casserole is a comforting, cheesy delight perfect after a long day of moving.
It was moving day, and I was surrounded by boxes in my new apartment, a classic 'my whole life in a trunk' kind of moment. My friend Liz had come to help, and as dusk fell, we realized our packing adrenaline had burned off, and we were all famished. I had a few staples left in the unpacked kitchen—a carton of whipping cream, some Italian cheese mix, and chicken tenders that had survived the move. Opening a box labeled 'pantry essentials,' I triumphantly held up a bag of rice and a can of chicken stock. It was time to create.
As Liz unpacked the cookware, I tossed together a dish of chicken, rice, and mushrooms—a grown-up version of the comfort meals my grandma used to serve. Sautéing mushrooms until they'd given up every bit of their juices, I made sure they were well seasoned. Meanwhile, the chicken stock simmered away with a splash of cream, creating a sauce that was everything you’d want to cradle into a casserole. The key? A sprinkle of fresh thyme. Liz swore it was the secret ingredient that melded everything perfectly.
Just before we slid the casserole into the oven, Liz offered a rogue suggestion: extra cheese on top. Who was I to say no to molten cheese deliciousness? Twenty minutes later, we sat on a makeshift table (read: an upturned box), savoring the warm, gooey creation we’d conjured out of sheer necessity and, well, a lack of energy to call for takeout.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 5-6 chicken tenders
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cups rice, cooked
- 2 cups Italian cheese mix, shredded, divided
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon chicken stock, divided
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9x9-inch casserole dish.
- Preheat a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the vegetable oil to the hot pan and allow it to heat up.
- Add the chicken tenders to the hot oil and season them with the salt, the pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic powder.
- Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
- Add the mushrooms to the same pan and season them with the salt, the pepper, and the remaining garlic powder and mix well.
- Sauté the mushrooms until they have cooked through and have given up most of their liquids, about 5-7 minutes.
- Dice the cooked chicken tenders and add them to a mixing bowl.
- Add the rice and the mushrooms to the chicken and mix to combine.
- Add 1 cup of the Italian cheese mix to the chicken mixture and mix well to combine.
- In the same skillet, heat up 1 cup the chicken stock and the heavy cream.
- Combine the cornstarch and the remaining chicken stock in a bowl and stir to combine.
- Quickly stir the cornstarch mixture into the heavy cream mixture.
- Stir the salt, the pepper, and the thyme into the sauce mixture.
- Bring the sauce mixture to a simmer and transfer the pan away from the heat.
- Combine the sauce with the chicken mixture and stir well.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
- Spread the casserole mixture evenly and top it with the remaining cheese.
- Bake until the casserole is cooked through, about 18-20 minutes.
- Serve.
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