Baked Chicken & Rice:

I'm typically one for the type of food that is just bursting with all kinds of flavor, a little spicy maybe, unique and different and just anything that is really good!! I just love food, I guess you could say (yes, I do have to exercise)!!!!

But every now and then, I just want something simple, kind of light in the flavor bursting department, but still yummy! 

Enter Chicken & Rice! 

I'm not normally fond of most chicken and rice dishes, but I found this one in my mom's recipe box and decided to give it a try! She said she used to make it all the time, for some reason, I can't remember.

However, I don't know why I can't remember it, because it turned out fantastic when I made it for dinner the other night and I think everyone really enjoyed it! 

I know this, because, for the first time in a long time, there was only a teeny, tiny bit leftover!

I hope you try it out and enjoy it as much as we did!

1 cup long-grain rice (not the minute rice)

2 stalks of celery

1 medium onion

2 batches of cream of chicken soup (see note)

1 & 1/2 cups water

Salt and Pepper to taste

5-6 chicken breasts, cut into strips (see note)

Pour rice into a 9x13-inch baking dish that has been generously coated in cooking spray.

Place celery and onion in a food processor or chopper and pulse until chopped very fine; 

sprinkle over the rice. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup and the water.

Cut chicken into 1 & 1/2 inch strips. Lay flat on top of the rice. 

Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. 

Pour chicken soup mixture over all.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed into the rice and the chicken is no longer pink in the center. 

Note:

-If you are not making this gluten-free, then you can just use 2 cans of cream of chicken soup. If you are making this gluten-free, then click HERE for a fast and easy homemade "can of cream of chicken soup." You will need to make the equivalent of 2 cans for this recipe.

-It may take more or less chicken, depending on the size of the chicken breasts you use. Mine were very small, and 5 was enough. I just laid them across the bottom of my pan, to see how much I would need.

-I've not had this problem, but in the original recipe, there was a note that said if the rice is drying out before you chicken is done, just add small amounts of water every so often until the chicken is done. Make sure all the water is absorbed before you serve it!