Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz cremini or button mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 1 cup carrots (chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 cup uncooked white rice (medium or long grain)
• 1 cup frozen green peas (thawed)
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces, patted dry)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. 2

   Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet and add mushrooms. Brown the mushrooms over high heat, allowing them to brown lightly and release some of their moisture. Add the mushrooms to the casserole dish.

3. 3

   In the same sauté pan add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Lower the heat to medium, add the onions, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer onions, carrots, and garlic to a 9x13 casserole dish.

4. 4

   Add 1/4 cup dry sherry or dry white wine to the pan to deglaze it, scraping off the browned bits from the bottom. Let the white wine reduce to about 1 tablespoon, then add the chicken stock, and remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and heavy cream, salt, black pepper, Italian and poultry seasoning.

5. 5

   Add the uncooked rice, thawed green peas and chicken pieces to the casserole dish. Then pour the stock, wine, cream, and sour cream mixture over the rice. Stir the rice, vegetable, and chicken mixture so that they are evenly distributed in the casserole dish.

6. 6

   Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in a 375°F oven for 45 minutes and then remove foil.

7. 7

   If the casserole still has too much liquid, let it cook a few minutes more, uncovered, until the excess liquid has evaporated away.

8. 8

   Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.