This is a chicken + rice + wine recipe that my father first heard in the 1980s (?) on CBC Radio's "Morningside" with host Peter Gzowski. It has been a special-occasion dish in our home ever since. (Story below recipe)
Fool-Proof Chicken
Ingredients
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2 - 3 chicken breasts
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1 can cream of celery soup
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1 can cream of chicken soup
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1 envelope (dry) onion soup mix
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2 cups white wine
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1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
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1 cup each carrots and celery, sliced on diagonal
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients except chicken. Let stand several hours or overnight.
2. Place chicken on top of the rice mixture.
3. Bake, covered, at 350°F, for one hour. Stir; Add more water/wine if required. Total cooking time up to 90 minutes, depending on size of chicken pieces and softness of veggies.
Wrrdgrrl's Tweaks
1. I like to use boneless, skinless, chicken thighs. Use whatever you prefer.
2. I add a couple of pints of mushrooms, sliced and pre-sauteed (I tried cooking them with the rice, but their released moisture throws off the rice/wine ratio.) Canned, drained mushrooms would work, but I prefer fresh.
3. It's especially nice, when reheating leftovers, to pan-fry in butter so the rice browns and gets all carmelized and delicious.
Recipe Origin
As mentioned above, it was CBC radio host Peter Gzowski who told the story about a (prairie?) household who had unexpected company. The details are fuzzy but I'll do my best: Probably during the 1959 North American tour, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and his wife arrived, unannounced, at the home of an ordinary Canadian couple. The reason for this impromptu visit is unknown (Snowstorm? Canceled flight?) Anyhow, the wife happened to have these ingredients on hand and skillfully combined them into a delicious and impressive meal for the esteemed guests. I would love it if anyone else knew about this story and can help clarify details.
bon appetit
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