When you think of casserole you might as well put a picture of this one right at the top. Joanna Gaines shares this recipe in the Magnolia Table Cookbook as one that a friend made up on a whim the day before the dedication of triplets as she was in search of something that would be easy to make for all the family coming back home after.
Now its not the most pretty of things to look at but it is absolutely one of the most delicious things to eat! I really loved the layers of flavor and texture that it has, and it includes one of my very favorite ingredients ever...Water Chestnuts, and they have been used in such a great way here. It's really just a mash up of ingredients thrown into a casserole, but it all works really well and is delicious. You have the briny tang from the artichokes, the necessary crunch from the water chestnuts, and the creamy goodness that all the cheese and cream cheese brings to it. All topped off with a layer of cheese that begins crisping in the over as well.
At it's bones it a quintessential casserole, but it has some unique ingredients in it that make it really enjoyable. Leave me a comment below and let me know if you have made this and what you think of it.
Until next time, happy cooking!
Kendell
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Jessica Zentner
I added a can of cream of chicken and a few handfuls of cheese and extra garlic to the mixture and it turned out great! Next time I might add some extra artichoke because we love it!
Thanks for reviewing these recipes, Kendall! I appreciate it!
Jackie Conklin
This casserole is very dry. In my opinion the ratio of rice to chi ken is not correct, there should be about two more cups of chicken. I agree with the other comments a can of creamed soup would have helped. Also melting the cream cheese in the soup would have made it more consistent . I ended up throwing away left overs.
Alicia
Honestly I purchased this cookbook without looking at the recipes first. Had I looked, I would not have purchased based on the ingredients in recipes such as this one. I would prefer not to use cream cheese in a dish I’m serving for dinner. However, the flavors in this I thought are wonderful. The fresh tarragon, which I have never cooked with before, has a very unique flavor. I work for a non profit which have weekly dinners for men who were recently living on the streets. Having recipes like this in my tool box make me very happy. I did cut down on the amount of cheese sprinkled on top of the dish. Thank you for this blog and for making all these recipes.
Kendell
Alicia, it sounds like you were pleasantly surprised and I love that. The Dedication Casserole was one I was really on the fence about, but I did love that flavor in the end. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for being here and reading 🙂
Katie
I thought it was quite bland. I liked the crunch from the chestnuts and the artichokes were a unique idea. But if you get a bite without the cheddar, the whole thing is really flavorless. Next time I'm gonna try adding a can of cream of chicken or mixing in the cheddar rather than just having it rest on top.
Kendell
I agree, you really have to make sure you season it well. It wasn't terrible, but not something I would probably make again, there is too much GREAT stuff out there to try!