Chicken Artichoke Casserole

Next week I'm thinking that I will make Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya which we haven't had since last year.  So if you see smoked sausage, shrimp or chicken on sale somewhere, pick it up! Also, don't forget that you can now print the recipes by clicking the green button at the bottom of every post.  If you haven't already heard... ALDI has some very popular toys at some very cheap prices.  Check out the This Week's Deals section of my blog for more info!

Chicken Artichoke Casserole-serves 6 to 8.  Lots of substitutions can be made with this recipe. If you don't like artichokes, omit them. Same with the spinach. We use brown rice and the low fat versions of the soups and cream cheese.  Serve with a green salad for a complete meal! To cook the chicken, I put the breasts on a baking sheet lined with foil, salt and peppered them and cooked them for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Coincidentally, the rice also takes 20 minutes so I cooked them simultaneously this morning while I was doing my chores and put them into the fridge until later when I was ready to complete the casserole. I will say that I don't expect to win any culinary awards with this casserole but it is very easy to put together and I knew that everybody in my family would like it! In fact, my husband isn't a huge fan of artichokes but gave me lots of compliments on this casserole!

how I cook chicken

2 lbs cooked chicken breast (5 or 6 medium) chopped into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups rice-cooked according to package directions
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 box chopped spinach defrosted
2 cans quartered artichoke hearts drained and chopped
1 package cream cheese softened (or substitute 1 cup sour cream)
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well incorporated. Place into a large casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs, crushed crackers or cheese.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Uncover and cook another 15 minutes or until topping is browned and/or cheese is melted and bubbly.

all ready to go into casserole dish