Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole

Old Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole

Miz Helen's Kitchen

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked rice

6 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

1 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup green bell pepper chopped

4 cups chicken stock

1 (22.6 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

3 cups chicken, cooked and chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoon's poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)

2 cups fresh or frozen early peas

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

cooking oil to spray the baking dish

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded

1 cup Panko Crumbs

Directions

In a large skillet, melt the butter, the saute the onion, bell pepper and celery.

Saute the onion, bell peppers and celery until tender.

Add the rice and stir until starting to brown, stir in the thyme, poultry seasoning, black pepper and cayenne.

Mix the chicken stock with the soup and pour it into the skillet with the rice and vegetables. Cook until the rice is beginning to absorb the liquid, about 10 to 15 minutes, stir constantly.

Stir in the chicken and cook for 5 minutes until the chicken is heated through.

Gently stir in the peas and 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese.

Spray the baking dish with a cooking oil.

Pour the casserole mix into a 9X13 baking dish.

Mix together the remainder of the cheddar cheese, Parmesan Cheese and the Panko Crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let set about 10 to 15 minutes, before serving.

Enjoy!