lljordal's Recipe

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

Category: dinner

5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves — cut in 1-inch strips
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic — pressed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mushrooms — sliced
1 4-6-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts — drained
2 tablespoons flour
1 15-oz. can chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet over medium heat, brown chicken lightly in 2 tablespoons butter, add the garlic and mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste and keep cooking till chicken mixture is smelling very garlicky.

Transfer browned chicken strips to a baking dish (for your extra casserole, use an aluminum pan that can be tossed after use); arrange artichoke hearts on top.

In the skillet, melt remaining butter and add the flour, whisking to blend (no lumps!). Add broth and cook until thickened then pour over chicken mixture.

Bake the casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes.

To freeze: After the casserole has totally cooled, carefully place your casserole in a zipper-topped plastic FREEZER bag and remove all air before sealing. Huge 1 1/2 to 2 gallon bags are perfect for this. (IMPORTANT note about freezer bags: This will aid in the casserole tasting fresh. These bags are designed to take the cold and regular bags are more permeable and will not keep your food as fresh.)

Next, mark the bag with what you made ("Cathy's Cheesy Casserole," for example) and the DATE. Add the heating instructions — like preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling, etc. Use a Sharpie pen for this task (it's the only pen that will hold up to the freezer without running. To keep your Sharpie from running off with the nearest child, hide your Sharpie in the freezer bag box or you'll never see it again.)

To cook the casserole, remove from the freezer the night before and place in the fridge to thaw overnight. By the time cooking time comes, it may not be completely thawed but that's OK. You will most likely need to cook the casserole longer to reheat, but an easy way to do that is give the original cooking time and add the caveat, "OR until hot and bubbly."

Getting your casserole dish back can be a hassle, so make sure you make yourself a note so you know where it is!

Serving Suggestions: Some brown rice, steamed broccoli and a big green salad.

Nutritional Data: Per serving: 527 calories; 17g fat (29.6 percent calories from fat); 84g protein; 5g carbohydrate; 1g dietary fiber; 236mg cholesterol; 560mg sodium. Exchanges: 0 grain(starch); 11 1/2 lean meat; 1/2 vegetable; 2 1/2 fat.