Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Saw this recipe on Trisha Yearwood's food network show. It is a keeper.  I used chicken from a store bought baked chicken. I used the dark meat that was left over from dinner last night.  We usually have the white meat one night and then I make a casserole from what is left.  It is a great way to use the meat.  Also I 1/2 the recipe, but used about 4 cups of the chicken. It wasn't too much. You can find the recipe Here


Ingredients
Two 6-ounce boxes long-grain and wild rice mix, such as Uncle Ben's
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing dish
16 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced, or two 4 1/2-ounce cans sliced mushrooms, drained (reserve the liquid)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups half-and-half
4 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, diced
1 cup toasted slivered almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sliced pimientos
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Watch how to make this recipe
Cook the long-grain and wild rice mixes according to the package directions. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch casserole dish.

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and onions and saute until the onions are translucent. Stir in the flour, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly stir the broth (and reserved canned mushroom liquid if using) into the onion mixture, then stir in the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture has thickened, 7 to 10 minutes.

Add the chicken, rice, toasted almonds, pimientos, parsley, salt and pepper into the wet mixture. Pour everything into the prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, 30 to 45 minutes.