Syndicated column week of January 13, 2013.
We eat a lot of chicken in my household, and for good reasons: it’s affordable, easy to prepare in many ways, and everyone in the family enjoys it. When my daughter was about eight she used to say, “Home is where the chicken is.” As a picky eater, she favored a small list of dishes, and chicken was fortunate enough to be on that list. If you’ve lived with a selective eater, you know the challenge of keeping meals varied without drifting into monotony. Having versatile staples like chicken makes that task much easier.
Over the years I’ve used chicken in soups, salads and numerous casseroles. This Chinese-inspired sweet-and-sour chicken casserole is simple, satisfying, and a pleasant change from my usual chicken-and-noodles or chicken-and-cheese dishes. It’s quick to assemble, travels well for potlucks, and stretches to feed a crowd.
Sweet & Sour Chicken Casserole
Sweet & Sour Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
6 chicken tenders, diced
1 bottle (14 oz) sweet & sour sauce
½ package (about 14 oz) frozen oriental-style mixed vegetables
1 box (6 oz) oriental rice mix
½ package (about 14 oz) crunchy Chinese-style noodles
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare the rice mix according to package instructions. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, combine the diced chicken, sweet-and-sour sauce, cooked rice, and mixed vegetables. Evenly sprinkle the crunchy Chinese noodles over the top. Bake for about 40 minutes, until heated through and bubbling.
Serving Suggestions: Serve this casserole with a crisp cabbage slaw and fortune cookies for a fun touch. For a more complete meal, begin with a simple egg drop or miso-style soup.
Approximate Nutritional Information: Makes about 12 servings. Per serving: Calories ~184, Total Fat ~1 g, Cholesterol ~16 mg, Sodium ~321 mg, Total Carbohydrates ~36 g, Protein ~8 g. (These values are approximate and will vary with specific ingredient brands and portion sizes.)
Variations and Tips: This recipe adapts well to other proteins—use diced pork, turkey, or leftover roast chicken in place of the tenders. If your family prefers a teriyaki profile, swap the sweet-and-sour sauce for teriyaki or another Asian-style sauce. To reduce sodium, replace the flavored rice mix with plain cooked white or brown rice and choose a lower-sodium sauce. For extra vegetables, toss in sliced bell peppers, baby corn, or water chestnuts.
I like to bake chicken in larger batches because it saves time and provides ready-to-use cooked meat for several meals. This casserole is ideal for using up odds and ends of leftover chicken from a prior dinner. It’s also excellent to bring to church suppers, office potlucks, or family gatherings: it assembles quickly, travels well in a covered pan, and scales up easily if you need to feed more people.
Now that my daughter lives on her own, she buys chicken in bulk and prepares it herself. Her pickiness has relaxed a lot—she now eats most dishes and reserves her picky preferences for a few items like mushrooms, cucumbers, and zucchini. It’s satisfying to see her continuing to rely on the same practical, versatile approach to cooking that she grew up with.
Noel Lizotte enjoys simplifying busy life with convenient, flavorful recipes. This sweet-and-sour chicken casserole is similar to recipes featured in her cookbook Apron Free Cooking. She also contributes food writing and recipe ideas in regular columns and online features.
If you’re interested in Noel Lizotte’s cookbook collection, look for Apron Free Cooking and other titles by the author through reputable booksellers or bookstores.