I’m on a dinner roll this week (get it? dinner… roll…? i should not be allowed to tell jokes)! Shrimp & Grits on Tuesday was a new fave, today’s recipe is an old, old fave.
This recipe is from a cookbook put out by the teachers and administrators at my elementary school. Yep, my elementary school… in the 80’s.
But my mom tried it one night, probably almost 20 years ago, and it has been a family staple ever since. I used to request it for my birthday every year, and I never understood why when friends came over for a birthday dinner they never got as excited about Chicken Casserole as they did about Pepperoni Pizza.
That’s right, I’m talking about casserole. I know that in today’s world the word “casserole” strikes a bit of fear into our hearts. We think of a leftover tuna casserole in our grandmother’s fridge… right next to the green ambrosia. You know what I’m talking about. Americans used to thrive on casserole, now we’re terrified.
I’d rename it something with less baggage, but maybe I can reclaim the world and turn it back into something positive… take it back to when it meant making a quick and easy dinner and only having to dirty one pan. One pan!
This dish makes enough for leftovers on a busy night. What I love most is the hint of white wine that comes through. Don’t overbake it, or you’ll be left with sad, dry chicken.
adapted from Joan George
6 boneless chicken breasts, halved longways
salt and pepper to taste
8 slices Swiss cheese (low-fat works)
3/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup melted butter (unsalted)
1 1/2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix
Preheat oven to 300F. Place halved chicken breasts in a 9×13 baking dish and top with Swiss slices. In a medium bowl, thin the soup with the white wine and mix until smooth. Pour mixture over chicken and Swiss. Rinse bowl, and combine stuffing mix and melted butter. Stir, moistening stuffing, and sprinkle over top of the dish. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake at 300F for 1-1/2 hours. Can be made ahead.
Note – I added a handful of green beans to my latest batch, just to introduce some veggies in there. I didn’t feel it added anything tremendous flavor-wise, so I might suggest making your veggies as a side rather than adding them to the dish.