I remember my mother making chicken and rice dishes, mostly
casseroles that were heavy on some sort of canned creamed soup. Edible but not
terribly flavorful, they were a staple in most households in the 1960s and
1970s. Given my subsequent aversion to casseroles and anything containing a
creamed soup, I have avoided such dishes for 30+ years…until now.
In the most recent Sunset
magazine, I found a recipe for Chicken Steamed Over Ginger-Garlic Rice. Full of
flavor, utilizing only one pot and taking only 30 minutes, the family has
determined the recipe a keeper and I can now proudly cook chicken and rice
casserole.
Rather boring in color, due to the dual colors of white
(rice, chicken) and green (sauce), it is anything but bland. The recipe
contains bold flavors—ginger, garlic, cilantro, sesame oil and jalapeno—that
give the moist steamed chicken a great kick, although not so spicy that
children won’t eat it.
The recipe is low in salt, easy to prepare and a quick and
hearty weeknight meal. While the recipe says it yields four servings that would
be a huge amount of rice per person. I used 2 pounds of chicken (rather than
the 1 1/2 it called for) and it served 5 adults, with enough leftover for one
lunch. I have adjusted a few things in the recipe to satisfy our palate, but if
you want the original recipe, you can find it here.
Butcher Son and Mr. B added some sriracha to up the heat
quotient, our guest tried it with a bit of soy, but Brilliant Daughter and I
found it perfect just as it is. Now it’s your turn to debunk the myth that
chicken and rice casseroles have to include creamed soups!
Recipe on the next page...