Allene's Casserole
Allene Brodie worked in the cubicle beside mine in the advertising department of Simpsons department store in downtown Toronto. I was the newest fashion copywriter, Allene had written ads housewares for a long time. Friendly and generous with good advice, Allene typed out her favorite, quick "company's coming after work" recipe for me. She served it with rice, rolls, a lettuce salad with Green Goddess dressing, and a fruit salad for dessert.
- 1 whole chicken
- flour (enough to coat chicken parts)
- 1 can Campbells Condensed Cream of Mushroom soup
- 1/2 can water
- 3/4 can sour cream
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut raw chicken into pieces, skin and de-bone.
Lay chicken pieces in a shallow casserole dish.
Put a pat of butter on each chicken piece.
Combine soup, water, sour cream, white wine.
Pour over chicken pieces in casserole dish.
Lift edges of chicken to make sure some sauce goes underneath.
Cook at 350 degrees for total 1-1/2 hours, but set timer for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, turn chicken pieces, spooning sauce over.
Continue cooking for final 45 minutes, adding a little milk if sauce needs it.
Cooked casserole freezes well. Just add a little milk and reheat.
Creamed Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
- 6 chicken breasts
- 1 bunch fresh broccoli
- 2 cans cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup (or substitute white sauce)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Bone-in chicken: Boil the breasts in a pot of water until tender. Skin and de-bone the chicken and return the bones to the water to make stock for soup.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: bake the chicken in a flat baking dish lined and covered with sheets of water-moistened parchment paper at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes until tender and almost done. Remove the parchment paper and chicken from the baking dish, drain the juices. (Lightly oil the baking dish before returning chicken to the dish.)
- While chicken is cooking, wash, cut up and steam the broccoli until almost tender.
- Arrange cooked chicken meat and steamed broccoli in a flat baking dish.
- Blend the soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and curry and pour over the chicken and broccoli.
- Top with the cheese and buttered breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
