This is the fifth simple supper recipe so far. I’m excited because this makes a full week of suppers. I know it doesn’t cover the weekend unless you have left overs. I’ll keep working on that. I wasn’t sure until last night what recipe I could use to get this series up to five. Since this was a last minute decision, I don’t have a recent picture of this meal cooked. But since I needed a picture for this post I pulled together the ingredients from my freezer and pantry. Hmmmm… maybe we’ll have it for dinner tonight! I’m just missing the crackers!

This recipe lightens things up a bit and changes the flavors from the recent meals I’ve shared. It is can be a one dish meal depending on your meal prep, so that makes not only the cooking, but the clean up easier! I got this recipe from my sister, Haidee. She made it for a family dinner or when I was over for dinner one night. I’m not a big fan of casseroles, but this is one that I really do enjoy! All of my family enjoys it also, so that’s a double win! I have made it with a lot of different types of chicken. I have used left over shredded chicken breasts or thighs, canned chicken, fajita chicken and chicken breasts or thighs I cooked just for this dish in the skillet, crock pot or instapot. As with several of the other dishes in this simple supper series, there are also plenty of options for variations of the vegetables in this dish. Another variation option is in the amount of sour cream you use. The more sour cream you use the creamier it is, but also the less of the chicken flavor that comes through. The sour cream we buy is in 16 ounce containers. So, I only need half of it for this recipe. I’ve been known to use a little less or a little more depending on what I have left in the container from other meals, how far I need this meal to go or if I have more sour cream that needs to be used up.

For me cooking doesn’t have to be an exact science. It is a chance to allow yourself to be creative and try new things. One of my biggest challenges with writing a lot of these recipes is taking the time to measure and pay attention to what and the amount of ingredients I use. Since the flavors are lighter in this meal it is more of a summer pallet to me. Although it is still warm and creamy which makes it an amazing comfort food for any season.

If you leave off the crackers or sub cheese crisps this could possibly be a keto friendly meal. You would need to be mindful of your portion size due to the carbs in the Cream of Chicken soup and make sure that the veggies you use are keto friendly options. The frozen vegetables I use most often have peas and carrots in them, so that would not be the best option for someone looking to limit their carbohydrate count. But you could use zucchini or summer squash or even mushrooms and that would lower the carb count.

I hope that you and your family are finding these recipes helpful in making family dinner an easier and more realistic option. These times continue to be hard for us here at our house as we are under another quarantine from family right now. At the same time, I am facing the uncertainty of what school will look like for me as a teacher and for the girls as students when we go back in just under 5 weeks. These are heavy times, thoughts and struggles. I want nothing more than to be home with my girls permanently, but that is not in the plans for us right now. I am trying to accept the TRUTH that God’s ways are higher and better than mine. However, the faith of a broken heart is faltering and painful. I need things like cooking and supper to be as simple and easy as possible while still providing my family with inexpensive, nourishing and delicious food. I pray that they are nourished when I cook for them. I pray your life is easier and your family is nourished by these recipes as well!!

Creamy Chicken Casserole Recipe:

4-5 Chicken Breasts OR 2-3 cups Fajita Chicken OR 1 large can chicken

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 bag Frozen Mixed Veggies

8 ounces Sour cream

1 sleeve Circle Crackers (think Ritz)

1/2-1 stick butter

Cream of Chicken Casserole Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook and shred the chicken breasts OR cook the fajita meat OR open the canned chicken.
3. Mix the cooked/canned chicken, the frozen/fresh veggies, the Cream of Chicken Soup, the sour cream together well and place in a 2 quart baking dish
4. Salt and Pepper to taste
5. Crush the crackers in their sleeve or in a ziplock bag until they are small crumbs
6. Sprinkle cracker crumbs over casserole
7. Slice butter into pats and place on top of crackers
8. Cook in oven for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and crackers are a golden brown.
9. Serve immediately alone, with your favorite crusty bread, or a green salad!

I have tried to mix this in the skillet I used to cook the chicken or in the baking dish to make this a completely one dish meal. I have found though to get all of the ingredients truly mixed well, I do need a bowl to mix it in. Sorry about the extra dish, but it does make for a more even flavor for the dish. Let me know in the comments below how your family enjoys this meal. What kind of chicken did you use? What are your favorite easy meals and meal prep tips?