Family Favorites Cashew Chicken and Rice Casserole

  The recipe for Cashew Rice and Chicken Casserole in the Land O Lakes Country Heritage cookbook is quite good. It calls for baking in the oven for an hour, and using wild rice and white rice.  

  I do not want to spend this much time and the cost of wild rice on a casserole so this is my twist on putting it together. I am going to use the directions I came up with and if you want to check out the recipe in the cookbook I encourage you to do so. This is an excellent cookbook and the casserole was well received at our house. I add about two cups of leftover cooked chicken or what I have on hand. Canned chicken will work as well.

 Cashew Chicken & Rice Casserole

2 cups cubed cooked chicken or what you have on hand
1 (6 ounce) box Uncle Ben’s Long Grain Wild Rice original recipe (omit seasoning packet)

2 ¼ cups chicken broth

1 cup salted cashews (whole and pieces are cheapest)

1 cup sliced celery

¼ cup chopped parsley (optional)

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup chicken broth and ¼ cup white wine if desired. (I used Sherry)

1 jar chopped pimiento, drained

⅔ cup dairy sour cream

1 teaspoon dried basil or italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt  (taste before adding. The cashews add salt)

Pepper to taste

  Cook rice with the 2 ¼ cups broth about 25 minutes. If there is still a little liquid in the rice saucepan just add it into the casserole.

  While rice is cooking, in large skillet melt butter, saute celery and nuts. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the sour cream. Simmer on medium low. When rice is done, add to the skillet. Stir in the sour cream and heat through. I let it heat about 15 minutes.