Casseroles were a classic meal for busy families a few decades ago, but in modern times, these dishes are often criticized for being unhealthy and outdated. Another common complaint against casseroles is that they require you to cook several items separately before putting them together in a casserole dish. However, the right ingredients can make a quick and healthy meal that serves several people and requires almost no cleanup.
Nicko, a popular chef from the YouTube channel named Nicko’s Kitchen, has created a casserole that only requires dirtying one dish, and all you have to do to cook it is put the ingredients together and stick it in the oven. Instead of cooking rice on the stovetop and sauteeing chicken in a pan, you can actually cook all of the ingredients within the casserole itself. The secret to Nicko’s clever recipe is the thinly sliced chicken that cooks quickly and the unusual amount of liquid added to the casserole.
The first step is to spread a single cup of white rice along the bottom of a casserole dish. Then you take two boneless, skinless chicken breasts and slice them in half width-wise to create four thin cutlets of chicken. Arrange these thinly sliced pieces of chicken directly on top of the uncooked rice. Next, you should mix together a can of cream of celery soup, a packet of french onion soup mix, and enough water (about one cup) to make a thin mixture. If you want, you can add extra salt and pepper to the mixture for more flavor. Pour this mixture into the casserole dish, being careful not to disturb the chicken and rice layers. Now all you have to do is roughly dice two medium white onions and sprinkle them on top of the dish.
After being baked in a 320 degree Fahrenheit oven for 2 hours, the casserole will be all ready to eat. The low heat ensures that the chicken remains juicy and tender while the rice becomes fully cooked. This twist on a classic chicken and rice casserole recipe requires just a few minutes of work in the kitchen, and it is so easy that anyone can do it. Not only is it easy to make and cleanup from, but this dish is also a tasty meal that is far healthier than fast food or junk food.
This tasty recipe can easily be modified to suit a variety of tastes. The cream of celery soup can be substituted for any other cream based soup, if you do not like celery, or canned cheddar soup can be added to create a cheesier version of this casserole. For people who are on a low sodium diet, the packet of soup mix can be substituted for a homemade blend of spices. As these easy substitutions show, anyone can take this basic recipe and make it their own.