Creamy Chicken and Vegetables - Ricky's Creamy Chicken
We've had our first few blustery fall days here in East Tennessee, and in my mind that means comfort food - soups, stews, pasta and casseroles, slow braised or smoked and at any time luscious.
This dish came from two places - the first was my high school bestie Lisa, who first told me about the magic of cream of mushroom soup and sour cream, when I would cook supper for my grandparents and three great aunts and uncles. At the time, and for years later, I'd simply bake chicken breasts in equal parts mushroom soup and sour cream and throw it over noodles or rice. Try that - I still adore the simplicity of the flavors, the tender juiciness of the chicken, and the luscious sauce that develops right in the baking dish.
Last year my oldest kiddo, then 12, Ricky, developed a great pasta dish with a cream cheese sauce, using chicken-apple sausage. He's made it for us several times the past year, and its amazing. But there was an element that reminded me of Lisa's flavors - so we thought we'd bring the two together. I've been gifted lately with some awesome demonstrations at our local tv station - we've done a series on "Kids in the Kitchen" - how to involve children of different ages in their own food prep - to help them know how to make great food choices for life. My 13 year old was the subject recently, because he's cooked for real. My job was to explain how to provide a kid that already has some interest, with the tools and ingredients to experiment with.
So on Daytime Tricities, WJHL, channel 11 in Johnson City, Tennessee Ricky debuted his updated chicken pasta dish. He sauteed a few of his favorite veggies, added the soup and sour cream, threw in some chicken, baked it off and we served it with simple egg noodles. I also realized what a great dish we had! Simple, quick, easy, inexpensive and healthy! Versatile and delicious can go in there too - the best of all possible worlds here.
Now there are loads of changes you can make to this method - however you like. I often serve simple egg noodles - but feel free to use whatever you like. If you wish, layer the pasta in the bottom of the casserole to bake with the chicken. Or bake the chicken off and just spoon the sauce over noodles or rice. You also change any of the veggies you like - feel free to add or subtract at will.
Change out the chicken cut to suit your taste and budget as well. The sauce keeps even boneless, skinless cuts moist and juicy, but I've done this dish with every piece of chicken that can be had for love or money. My favorite is boneless skinless breast and thighs - they just work well. But you can even try boneless pork - it's great here too.
The Recipe!
You'll need:
- 1-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (reduced sodium)
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream (low fat)
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
- 1 cup bell pepper, diced
- Other veggies that work great are celery, carrot, broccoli, zuchini - anything!
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- several cranks of freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 lb dried pasta - cooked and drained
- 1 Tbl olive oil
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion, mushroom and peppers to skillet and saute for about five minutes, or until fragrant and onions are beginning to turn translucent. Remove pan from the heat.
- Add soup and sour cream to the skillet, stirring to combine.
- Place chicken in a 9x13 casserole dish. Pour sauce evenly over all pieces, turning to coat.
- Bake in 350F for 40 minutes, for boneless breast, 25 minutes for tenders, and up to an hour for a bone in breast.
- Serve over a bed of your choice of pasta. Enjoy!
- The Thrillbilly Gourmet
Combining classic technique with everyday food for spectacular results!