Skillet Chicken and Rice!

This has been a crazy week! Do you ever have one of those days where it feels like you're constantly running from one place to the next? Yep, me too. To go along with the running, is has been a little chilly here is North Carolina. Saturday it was 95 degrees (see the craft show post) and Tuesday rainy, overcast and in the 60s. Can I make a confession? I LOVE rainy overcast weather! Love it, I actually feel happier when the sky is cloudy and gray. Weird huh? Not really, I grew up outside of Pittsburgh, (40 miles outside of Pittsburgh in WV. Yes, West Virginia sticks up that far north, it really does...) any who, it is ALWAYS overcast there. Seriously, I think the Steeler game is at home this weekend, look at the sky on TV. I am NOT by any means dissin' the 'Burg. If you grow up with that being the predominant weather pattern, you grow accustomed to it. I actually get excited when the weather is overcast. I guess it reminds me of home, and I get to wear a sweater. Pretty sweet if you ask me.

OK, so we have rain and long pants in the forecast this week, I thought a nice hearty meal sounded great! Let's make the skillet chicken and rice! Take out the bag,
Mmm, ricey, what do I need? Water, (have that), chicken, (have that), cream of chicken soup, have that. We're in business! I couldn;t get a good picture of it, but Homemade Gourmet recently launched "Homemade in a Hurry." There is a piece of the tag you can rip off that lists all the ingredients needed to make a dish. When you plan your meals for the week, you can rip off the tabs, drop them in your purse and off to the grocery store you go!

Do you see the expiration date on the bag? I LOVE that! It tells you the "best if used by" date. Granted, the mixes don't explode and turn to acid the day after the date, but they will taste their best if used by then!

K, first thing, dump out the mix an pick out the corn and peas. I don't like peas and I think corn is a side dish. It doesn't belong "in" things. That's just me, you all can eat corn and peas in your rice until the cows come home. (Lookie, another southern phrase! I can't stop them!) If anyone is interested, you can have the little pile of freeze dried veges. I think they would make a fine tiny soup.

Take a pan, dump the mix (with or without peas) into a skillet, add the uncooked chicken and 3 cups of water. Put the burner on med-high and cook until the water boils. When it comes to a boil, turn the heat to low, and cover with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes. NO PEEKING!

Oops, missed a piece of corn.

Waiting... ooo, I bought a sample of those new Newton bars at the store. I wonder how they taste?

BLECK!!! I hope the people at Fig Newton don't read this blog. It tasted like an awful cracker with some chewy paste inside.Yuck! I'll wait for the chicken and rice.

After 20 minutes, remove the lid and stir in the can of cream of chicken soup. Return the heat to medium and cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until the rice is done.

After you finish, Voila!!! This serves six and let me tell you, it is a hearty, stick to your ribs kind of meal. Very filling!!! My blurry pix doesn't do it justice!

I know we'll have lunch for a few days from the leftovers!

Enjoy!!!
Lara