Third Thursday Thought - Chicken Casserole

I'm really out of my comfort zone blogging tonight.  As a Hearts at Home Blogger, I'm chiming in on Third Thursday Thoughts.  The question to be answered is "What is your favorite homemade dish?"  Hahaha - there aren't too many homemade dishes at my house - well at least not by me!  Admittedly, I'm a pretty lousy cook.  More often than not, my hubby handles the main dish.  If I'm in charge, most likely, it is coming out of a box.  I don't what to say other than I think the culinary gene completely bypassed me. 

So... I don't exactly have a stellar arsenal of recipes to draw from.  Honestly, if I'm cooking... it's probably more like arsenic :(  However, I recall right after we came home from the hospital with an infant Caleb, my mother-in-law stocked our kitchen with all kinds of goodies.  She also came with a Chicken Casserole in hand.  It was so yummy, and I later learned easy enough for me to make.  I've actually made it on many occasions. 

This dish was one of the few ways I could sneak some meat into Jeremiah after coming home from Ethiopia.  In fact, he loves it so much!  He tells me it is the favorite thing I cook.  He even asked me to make it for his birthday.  Now, every time we have eaten it since, he is quick to point out that it was his birthday meal.  It's so sweet.  If it brings a smile to his face, maybe it will to you as well.  It is a hit in our family because it is one of the few things that all 5 of us will eat.  Enjoy!

CHICKEN CASSEROLE

2 (13 ounce) cans chicken breast, drain off water or broth, reserving some to thin the sauce. Or you can cook 4 chicken breasts and chop them.

1 box long grain and wild rice, cooked according to package

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I always add more! Can never be too cheesy!!!)

corn flakes, crushed

1/3 cup butter, melted

Place cooked rice in bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with cooked chicken, spread evenly over rice.
Combine soup, sour cream and cheese. Add a little broth or water to thin slightly, so it's not too thick to spread over the chicken and rice. Combine crushed corn flakes and melted butter, then place over the soup and cheese layer. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Can be made ahead and refrigerated until time to bake. Bake for 1 hour if it has been refrigerated.