Chicken & Stuff Is Kia Damon’s Secret Family Recipe
This hearty chicken casserole is filled with green beans, wild rice, cheddar cheese, and pimentos.
Serves6 to 8
Prep25 minutes
Cook35 minutes to 40 minutes
In this episode of Kitchn’s Secret Family Recipes series, chef Kia Damon makes one of her grandma’s signature recipes, with an assist from her mom. As she cooks her way through the creamy chicken casserole, Kia talks about how both her grandma and her mom instilled in her a love of good food and cooking. Along the way, Kia tweaks things here and there (blanched green beans instead of canned; sautéed chicken instead of boiled) to make the recipe her own while she and her mom talk about the origins of this delicious dish with the whimsical name. — The Kitchn Editors
Chicken & Stuff
This hearty chicken casserole is filled with green beans, wild rice, cheddar cheese, and pimentos.
Prep time 25 minutes
Cook time 35 minutes to 40 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Cooking spray or unsalted butter
- 8 ounces
green beans
- 1
medium yellow onion
- 1 1/2 pounds
chicken tenderloins
- 2 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil, divided
- 1
(8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
- 1
(8-ounce) jar pimentos
- 4 ounces
sharp cheddar cheese
- 1
(10-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
- 1 cup
mayonnaise
- 1 cup
cooked wild rice or wild rice blend
- 2 tablespoons
poultry seasoning, such as Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Poultry Magic
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Meanwhile, coat a 2-quart baking dish, such as an 11x7-inch or 8-inch square, with cooking spray or unsalted butter. Prep the casserole.
Trim 8 ounces green beans and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Dice 1 medium yellow onion. Cut 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups). Season all over with 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (skip if your poultry seasoning already has salt and pepper).
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the green beans and sauté until crisp tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the onion to the pan and sauté until softened and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the green beans. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and chicken to the pan. Sauté until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. (It does not need to be cooked through.) Transfer to the bowl.
Prepare the following, adding them to the bowl as you go: Drain and coarsely chop 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts. Drain and coarsely chop 1 (8-ounce) jar pimentos. Grate 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 1 cup).
Add 1 can condensed cream of celery soup, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup cooked wild rice, and 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning. Stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
Bake until bubbly and warmed through, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.