Fancy Chicken and Rice

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe before.  This is a staple at my house.  We have it a couple times a month.  This is something my husband's mom would make anytime his family had company.  It's a 'fancy' chicken and rice, for fancy company dinners. 

The sliced beef is what makes this dish fancy.  It gives a flavor different from regular chicken and rice dishes.  I've also learned over the years that you must use cream of mushroom soup and only cream of mushroom soup.  Cream of chicken does not give it the rich flavor that makes this dish so great.

Fancy Chicken and Rice

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast (12-14 tenderloins)

2 (2 oz) packages of thinly sliced beef

1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

Place the chicken in a baking dish.  Top with sliced beef.  In a bowl, mix soup and sour cream together.  Spoon over sliced beef and chicken.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 325 degrees for 3 hours or until chicken is fully cooked, and tender.  Serve over rice.

STEP-BY-STEP

 Place chicken (I'm using tenderloins) evenly into a baking dish. 

 Top with 2 packages of thinly sliced beef. 

I use the cheap Budding brand beef .

 Mix together the sour cream and cream of mushroom soup (Do yourself a flavor favor and don't substitute, unless of course your allergic to mushrooms then please do.)

 Spoon the soup mixture over the beef.

Cover with foil and bake low and slow at 325 degrees for 3 hours or until the chicken is completely done.

The chicken in this recipe should be tender and falling apart.

Serve over rice

Cream Cheese Chicken

Isn't everything better with butter and cream cheese?  I think so.  This creamy, gravy-like meal is made with both.  Oh and I guess I should mention, it contains chicken too.

Cream Cheese Chicken

1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 12 tenders

1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

To a slow cooker, add melted butter and one envelope of Italian dressing mix.  Stir mix into butter.  If using chicken breasts, cut them into 1-inch strips and place them in the slow cooker.  If using tenders, just add them as is.  Stir the chicken in the butter mixture to coat.  Cover and cook on high 2 hours.  With a slotted spoon, remove chicken to a plate.  To what is left in the slow cooker, add cream cheese and soup.  Stir to melt and mix well until smooth and creamy.  Stir chicken into sauce.  Keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

STEP-BY-STEP

 To a crock-pot on HIGH, add 1 stick of butter melted

 then stir in 1 envelope of Italian dressing mix.

 Add 6 boneless chicken breasts cut into 1-in strips, or 12 tenders (like I did above).

Stir chicken in butter to coat.

 Cover and cook on High for 2 hours.

Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken to a plate.

 Add cream cheese

 and one can cream of chicken soup.

 Stir until smooth and creamy.

Now, stir the chicken back into the sauce.  Keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve over mashed potatoes or rice