Chicken, Wild Rice and Mushroom Casserole

(Serves 4)

1 cup of water
¼ cup of wild rice
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek, chopped and rinsed
¾ pound sliced mushrooms
½ cup dry sherry
1/8 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup low-fat milk
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/6 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup frozen French-cut green beans
¼ cup sliced almonds

In a small, heavy saucepan, add the water and rice. Bring this to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook the rice until it is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Drain the rice and set it aside.

Place the chicken in a large skillet or saucepan. Add enough lightly salted water to cover the chicken. Bring this to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat until the chicken is gently simmering and the chicken is cooked thoroughly. The chicken should not be pink in the middle. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to a clean cutting board and allow it to cool.

Heat a Dutch oven with oil or use a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook them until they are just starting to brown, stirring occasionally. This will take 4 to 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid produced has been released and evaporated, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with flour to coat them. Add milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook this for about 1 minute. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper. Once heated, remove it from the heat.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Cut the chicken into small pieces. Spread the rice out in the bottom of the baking dish so it’s in an even layer. Add the chicken and then the green beans. Pour the sauce evenly over the top of the green beans. Sprinkle the sauce with the almonds.

Place the casserole dish into the oven and bake until the casserole is bubbling and the almonds are golden brown. This will take about 30 minutes. Allow the casserole to stand for 10 minutes before you serve it.