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A STORY CIRCULATED IN OUR family for years that my Aunt Mary Jo placed a warm chicken casserole on the doorstep of a very nice widower who had just buried his wife. Supposedly Mary Jo had known Porter for a while and was well acquainted with his wife, too. When she heard about Porter’s wife’s passing, Mary Jo did what most unmarried women of a certain age do in that situation. She delivered a chicken casserole. As fate would have it, Porter liked chicken casserole. He liked Mary Jo, too. Within a year, he asked her to marry him. She walked down the aisle and said, “I do.” Mary Jo was an older sister to my mother. She was never early but seldom late. She grew her own fresh herbs along the path to the back door, made pesto, and sun-cooked peach preserves in the hot summer sun. She wrote about Nashville society for the afternoon newspaper, had strong golf and bridge games, and no matter the occasion, she could make you laugh. Even when you shouldn’t be laughing, one look at Mary Jo and you were in stitches.
Last spring I called my cousin Joe, Mary Jo’s eldest, to ask him what casserole he thinks she might have baked to woo Porter. Joe thought it contained water chestnuts and he’d look through her recipe box and see what he could find. He called back 15 minutes later to report. “Cousin, I found ‘Company Chicken Casserole,’ and it appears to be the one.” A chicken and rice medley, the casserole listed broccoli and water chestnuts as optional additions. Crumbled Ritz crackers covered the top before baking. And unlike other casseroles of its time period, mayonnaise was not used. It did contain a can of cream of mushroom soup. They all did. But in Mary Jo’s recipe and pretty much any old-fashioned chicken casserole, I’ve learned that you can swap out that can of soup for heavy cream and a couple tablespoons of flour. Plus interesting seasoning. Try a Greek or Creole salt instead of plain salt. Summa Salts out of Jacksonville, Florida, has a wonderful Ranch salt I’m obsessed with. It contains not just sea salt but basil, garlic, chives, dill, and parsley. Just like fashion, 1960s and ‘70s casseroles still weave through our family get-togethers. Younger cousins are bringing broccoli rice casserole to fall potlucks. And I’m remaking these old recipes with new eyes, open to substituting brown rice for white, or using farro, maybe white beans for chicken so it’s vegetarian, and absolutely adding a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten things up. If the recipe calls for green bell pepper, I use it, but I let it cook down and sweeten along with the onion and celery in the saute pan first. What’s your favorite chicken casserole or chicken casserole memory?
As I write this post, the news is warning of a U.S. government shutdown. More tragic gun deaths have occurred in the last week. Drunken American fan behavior spoiled the Ryder Cup, and profanity spewed from our VP. Our country’s character is in the basement. And groceries aren‘t any cheaper, Mr. President. I wonder what Aunt Mary Jo would have to say about it if she were still alive. She would be watching the news each night, I can tell you that. And I believe she’d be shocked. Porter would be, too. He was an avid golfer who played well into his 80s. And he was a U.S. Army captain in charge of a large platoon stationed in Burma (now Myanmar) in World War II. When I think about the meals I shared with aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, grandparents, and siblings, we were surrounded by people who had experienced their own stories and histories. There was always more than enough food. And there was always laughter. There’s still laughter. I can’t bring back the 1970s and don’t want to, but I can remember the people I loved by making their recipes. You can too. Old-fashioned kindness never goes out of style. Neither will a chicken casserole. Add a green salad and hot bread, and dinner is ready. You might even get a marriage proposal… - xo, Anne P.S. Here are two other family favorite chicken casseroles I shared in my 2003 book, The Dinner Doctor:
THE RECIPE:
Mary Jo’s Company Chicken (slightly adapted)There are so many ways to make this casserole your own. Use leftover roasted chicken or stew a fresh chicken in water to cover until the meat falls from the bones, about 2 hours. Then you have your own homemade broth! I added 2 cups chopped broccoli (blanched 2 minutes in boiling water, or just use thawed frozen broccoli). And you could just as well add 2 cups of sliced mushrooms along with the onion in the saute pan in addition to the broccoli, or along with it. Perhaps fresh or frozen spinach leaves instead of broccoli. Make this in one big pan or split it into two smaller pans. The larger 13- by 9-inch glass casserole will take about 30 to 35 minutes to cook, and the smaller pans around 25 minutes. Makes 8 to 12 servings Bake: 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the size of the pan
Note: For the broccoli, I cut two crowns into florets and those florets into three or four pieces. I brought a couple inches of water to a boil in a saucepan, and then dumped in the broccoli, which I cooked at a brisk simmer until bright green, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, and set aside. You’re on the free list for Anne Byrn: Between the Layers. If you’re liking what you’re reading, why don’t you become a paying subscriber for more recipes, stories, and content.
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