Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

So, I like casseroles.  They're easy to put together, don't have to do a bunch of sides.  Maybe throw in a salad and bread and you've got a meal.  They also generally make enough for 2 meals.  What's not to like?  I was in the mood for a chicken broccoli rice casserole tonight.  Andrew's mom (my husband's mother) has a recipe for one that he likes so I had asked her for it.  She hadn't gotten it to us yet.  (no rush or fuss here, I'd just like to try it sometime)  So we called and they were heading out to get groceries.  Said they would call back.  (They did, but it was later, she's working on getting it written down for us as well as her recipes for Waldorf salad and her Sweet potato casserole.) 

I looked online and tried a bit of hodgepodge of recipes I came across.  Started off with cooking 2 1/2 Cups rice in chicken broth,  2- 13oz. bags of broccoli florets (steamed in water),  and I pan seared a 'jumbo' pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts after I sliced them into half thicknesses     I greased the bottom and sides of my 13x9" casserole.  I cut the cooked chicken into slightly smaller portions and layered them across the bottom of the pan.  (cut them because my kids are 6,4,2,1 years old)  I deglazed the chicken pan with dry vermouth and let it boil well.  I added a few splooshes of dale's sauce and enough water to keep the chicken moist.  I poured this over the chicken in the bottom of the casserole. 

I then added most of the rice over the chicken, working it in slightly.  I then topped it off with the cooked broccoli.  I then took the 'family size' can of cream of mushroom soup  (DON'T TELL KIRA SHE ATE MUSHROOMS!!!), a good sized glob of sour cream (maybe a cup)  (DON'T TELL ANDREW HE ATE SOUR CREAM!!!), Dale's sauce, a few blops (2-3 tablespoons maybe) 1 1/4 cup shredded mild cheddar and pepper.  Mixed those together and heated till boiling.  Poured over the top carefully working it down into the layers.  Topped the rest with 3/4cup or so of shredded mild cheddar and put it in a 425* F oven to get toasty.   Hubby's only real comment was that his Mom's is topped with crushed cornflakes and then baked.  (Which I was planning on but I didn't have in the house.)  He's happy with this and so am I.  I will do some sort of crunchy topping next time, for example, crushed Ritz, crushed cornflakes, crushed saltines (bleh) or bread crumbs. 

The children liked it also, although Nicholas, boy who will eat ANYTHING didn't eat much of it but I'm chalking that up to him seeming to have a head cold.  Kathy surprised me completely by not complaining about the broccoli and actually eating it!  Nina ate most of her bowl pretty much by herself (even if that often means throwing utensils to the side and digging in bare handed  >.< )