Chicken Casserole D'Iberville - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 (3 lb) whole chickens
1 cup water
1 cup dry sherry
2 celery ribs
1 onion, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 (6 ounce) packages long-grain and wild rice mix
1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
2 (8 ounce) packages sliced mushrooms
1 bunch green onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups round buttery crackers, crushed (1 sleeve = about 1 1/2 cups)
1 (6 ounce) can French-fried onions, crushed
1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation

Bring first 9 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is done. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven. Let chicken cool. Pour broth through a fine wire mesh strainer into an 8-cup liquid measuring cup; discard solids.
Cook rice according to package directions, substituting 4 1/4 cups reserved chicken broth for water and omitting butter. (Add water to broth to equal 4 1/4 cups, if necessary.).
Skin, bone, and coarsely chop or shred chicken.
Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add mushrooms and green onions, and saute 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in rice, chicken, sour cream, and soup. Spoon mixture into 8 (2-cup) casserole dishes, 8 (5 1/2- x 3 1/2- x 2-inch) mini-loaf pans, 3 (8-inch or 9-inch) square baking dishes, or 1 (4-quart or 15- x 10-inch) casserole dish.
Stir together crushed crackers and fried onions. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, paprika, and garlic powder. Sprinkle casserole evenly with cracker mixture.
Bake, covered, at 350\u00b0 for 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 to 10 more minutes or until bubbly.
To make ahead: Cover casseroles tightly with foil, and freeze unbaked up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake as directed. (Casserole may also be baked frozen. Plan to double the baking times.).