Quick Creamed Chicken and Rice

Nothing is more delicious and comforting than creamy chicken and rice.  Keeping a can of cream of chicken soup in the pantry makes Quick Creamed Chicken and Rice a super fast meal.  If leftover chicken is not available, a rotisserie chicken from the store can be used for this and many more recipes that call for chicken.  I like to pick the carcass clean and package the meat in quart size Ziploc freezer bags.  A bag of prepared chicken is ready to go when it is time to make this simple dish.

Quick Creamed Chicken and Rice makes a great gravy for Haystacks, a recipe where you add toppings such as slivered almonds, sliced green onions, pineapple chunks, chow mien noodles, diced celery, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped green pepper, water chestnuts, coconut and even maraschino cherries.

Quick Creamed Chicken and Rice
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
2 cups cooked rice
chicken leftovers (about 1/2-1 cup)
Optional:  Haystacks Toppings listed below
In a small pan, combine 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup and 1/2 cup milk.  Heat just to boiling point.  Pour over or combine with 2 cups cooked rice.  Add leftover pieces of chicken, if desired.  If you're out of condensed cream of chicken soup, try this easy recipe at Our Best Bites!  (I also included the complete recipe on my Hamburger Gravy Over Rice post).  The recipe originates at TammysRecipes.com

Steamed Rice
In a 2-quart pan with a tight-fitting lid, place 1 cup rice, 2 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Stir to distribute rice.  Cover.  Bring to a vigorous boil; then quickly turn heat to very low setting.  Continue cooking 15 minutes.  Do not stir or lift cover!  Remove from heat and let rice continue to steam, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.  Makes 3 cups cooked rice.
Note:  To be sure of light, fluffy rice, always measure the rice, salt, and water.  Too much water makes rice soggy and gummy; too little water allows rice to dry out before it is cooked.

Recipe comes from the best 1st cookbook!:  Homecooking on Your Own, by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, and Madeline Westover, Shadow Mountain, Salt Lake City, Utah.