Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

This dish is my mother-in-law's (one of the best Southern-style cooks out there) recipe that is a staple at our house.  It makes a lot, keeps for days in the fridge, and is scrumptious even for the picky eaters.  In fact, my husband thinks it is much better the next day when it has set up overnight in the fridge. 

Ingredients:

-Rotisserie chicken
-2 boxes of wild rice (Rice-a-roni brand works great)
-8 oz bag of shredded cheese (Colby Jack or Cheddar)
-Can of cream of chicken soup
-8 oz sour cream (I used reduced fat because you can't taste the difference)
-8 oz can of sliced water chesnuts (in the Oriental section of the grocery store)
-Half of an onion (or substitute onion flakes)
-3 stalks of celery finely minced
-2 tbs butter

Directions:

1. Prepare rice as directed on box.
2. While rice is cooking, begin tearing off chicken and dicing it up.  I use about half of the full rotisserie chicken.  Place in large mixing bowl.  Turn your oven on to preheat at 350 degrees.
3. Chop your onion, celery stalks (fairly small pieces for the picky eaters), and water chesnuts and saute them with the butter.
4. Once rice has finished cooking, mix it in with the chopped chicken, sauteed onions, celery, and water chesnuts.  Next add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and most of the cheese.  Save a little for the topping.
5. Grease a 9x13 glass pyrex dish and pour the mixture in it.  Smooth the mixture out and sprinkle the leftover cheese on top.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes more to let the top crisp up a little.  Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy :)

mix it all up

looks appetizing I know :)

the edges should be a little crispy

You can serve with a nice salad or whatever you have in your fridge already,
in my case, potatoe casserole and baked beans