Alfredo-Sauced Chicken and Rice

I had just returned from a weekend at my aunt and uncle's house when I got the new cook's challenge. It was perfect. We were laughing over the weekend because our meals were all chicken based. This challenge goes right along with the weekend. So I emailed my aunt for the meal I liked best from the weekend and made it tonight for friends.

Let me warn you, this makes a lot of food. Even with friends over, I still have lunch for at least 2 weeks (most of the leftovers are now in the freezer.) Also, I put the changes I made to the recipe in italics if you want to try my adaptations...

Alfredo-Sauced Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups COOKED wild rice
1 1/2 cups COOKED regular long grain rice
1 Jar (17 oz.) Alfredo sauce (I made my own Alfredo sauce, recipe follows if you like)
1/2 t tarragon
1/2 t marjoram
1/8 t pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (and I halved each chicken breast so had 12 pieces)
1/4 to 1/2 t seasoned salt
1 1/2 c cut-up asparagus (the casserole dish was too full with with everything else, so I just steamed the asparagus and served it on the side.)
1 1/2 c sliced mushrooms (4 oz.)
1/3 c sliced roasted red bell pepper (from 7 oz. jar) (I opted for a chopped whole red pepper, and also a green pepper)

Instructions:
Cooked the rice. While the rice cooks, sprinkle the chicken with seasoned salt and brown in a skillet.

Heat oven to 350. Mix wild rice, regular rice, 3/4 c of the Alfredo sauce, 1/2 t tarragon and 1/8 t pepper in an ungreased 13X9 baking dish. Place chicken on rice mixture. Sprinkle the marjoram and spread the asparagus (remember I didn't have room so cooked it separately), mushrooms and peppers over the chicken. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top.

See how full it is?
That's why I cooked the asparagus separately.

Cover and bake 1 hour until juice of chicken is no longer pink. (I only cooked for 40 minutes because I browned the chicken for so long.)

Alfredo Sauce (this is doubled to be enough for the dish)

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 c) unsalted butter

2 c heavy cream (I use half-and-half)

3 c freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

Instructions:

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cream and cheese. When cheese has melted all the way, add egg yolk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.

B liked it
(I know, I know, she hasn't even taken a bite yet in the photo.
But she asked to take home some leftovers,
I don't think she would have asked if she didn't like it.)
=)

Enjoy