Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake – A Special Addition to Your Labour Day Menu
Labour Day is recognized annually on the first Monday each September and this year; it falls on September 5. The holiday was originally established so workers in Canada would have a day set aside to campaign for better jobs, increased wages, or improved working conditions.
However, today, Labour Day is celebrated as the last official holiday of summer. Family and friends often come together for fun, food, and fellowship one more time before the long, cold days of winter arrive.
Whether you’re hosting an intimate get-together or a small gathering of family and close friends, one of the key ingredients in making this reunion a success is the menu. As with any holiday, we all have our favourite items that have become part of the tradition, but there’s no need to stick just to the typical BBQ options of burgers, hotdogs, ribs, and the like. By adding a few new easy-to-make dishes to the menu, like the Creamy Chicken & Rice Bake, you may be able to reduce prep time in the kitchen and spend more time enjoying the moments with your friends and family.
Creamy Chicken & Rice Bake
Photo credit: Campbells
The Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake is a super-easy one-pan dish that everyone will enjoy! All you really need is chicken, vegetables, 1 can (284mL) CAMPBELLS ® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, and cheese. The recipe shown above is the creamy chicken version made with chicken breasts. But, for a large gathering, you can use chopped chicken. You can change use your favourite (fresh or frozen) vegetables to suit your taste and experiment with different flavors of cheese. Or skip the cheese and top with a few dabs of sour cream. Use light sour cream to subtract a few extra calories.
If you prefer a more Asian flavor or Asian-inspired dishes, use Golden Cream of Mushroom Soup, a little honey, and a touch of soy sauce. Visit cookingwithcampbells.ca for this recipe, and more inspiring dishes to add to your menu this weekend.
Photo credit: Luis Ruiz
This dish can be a delightful alternative
Creamy Chicken & Rice Bake (with chopped chicken) is a wonderful dish that everyone will enjoy. It is the perfect summer holiday dish. The casserole is rich and creamy, and it is easy to prepare. It is a great addition or alternative to your traditional potato salad.
Because Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake is such a popular food and because even kids love it, you can arrange it with some veggie choices to make it healthier for everyone. Next to the bake, place a large tray of raw veggies. Provide some small paper cups for dipping sauce. Place a few bottles of low-fat sauce on the table. On the other side of your creamy Chicken and Rice Bake, set up a large tray with low-fat baked crackers. These are great for dipping, but they also are great to eat with the Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake instead of bread.
Have fun with your food
Do you have some picky eaters who are difficult to please when it comes to trying anything new? Here are a couple of twists on the Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake recipe that are sure to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.
Note: We recommend that you do not top your Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake with cheese or sour cream for these options.
Line a bowl with corn chip scoops! With the scoop bottom down. Spoon the chicken and rice mixture on top of the scoops so that when a scoop is picked up, it is filled with the mixture. Cover the Chicken and Rice and the Scoop Chips with melted, white cheese sauce. For easy pouring, use white cheese dip. Add a few extra chips around the sides to help them get every bite.
Creamy Chicken and Rice bake are easily kept warm in your crockpot on the low setting. Once you have warmed your cheese sauce, you can keep it warm in a smaller crockpot on a low setting too. Be sure to keep an eye on them and stir them now and then. If your chicken and rice begin to look dry, you can keep it moist with a little chicken broth.
Shake up your Labour Day BBQ this year! We are celebrating the return of close family, friends, and much-loved traditions to our lives. This is a tasty and fun way to add new flavor to a favorite holiday.
Brought to us in partnership with Campbells.
