Thursday's Eats ~ Chicken, Mushroom and Brown Rice Bake

Chicken, Mushroom and Brown Rice Bake - Adapted from SnoWhite @ Finding Joy in my Kitchen, who Adapted it from Amy @ Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free

1 1/2 C brown rice
1 T butter
12 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced thick
1 tsp onion powder
1 bag frozen broccoli florets (16 oz)
1 C chicken stock
2 C shredded chicken/turkey
2 T corn starch
1 C ½ and ½ , divided
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the brown rice whichever way you’re used to.  I used the stovetop method, you can use a rice cooker, etc.  I always do half water, half chicken stock when I cook rice because it increases the flavor.

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add in the mushrooms and onion powder.  Saute until the mushrooms have evaporated much of their liquid. Then, add in the broccoli.  Stir in the chicken stock and the shredded chicken/turkey. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and add 1 T of cream and mix well until cornstarch is dissolved and the mixture is thick.  Add remaining cream to the chicken mixture, and cook -- stirring once you add the cream.  Then add in the cornstarch mixture and stir constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove the mix from the heat.

When the rice is done, pour it into a 9x13 glass baking dish.  Spoon the chicken mixture over the top.  Cover again - tightly. I used a cookie sheet to cover the dish ... works just like tinfoil! 

Bake in the oven at 350 for 25-30 minutes until all the liquid is gone, and the dish is bubbly.  Remove the cover, add the Parmesan cheese, and return the dish to the oven to melt and, if desired, slightly brown the cheese. 

This makes a lot of rice casserole!  It fed us 2 dinners and 2 lunches, so you could easily freeze half of it for later.  Enjoy!