Chicken and rice casserole with cream of mushroom soup

This casserole can be made ahead and frozen in anticipation of busy weeknights. It's well-rounded nutritionally and mildly flavoured - great for those with kids. It was a staple in our household when I was growing up, except nowadays I like it with a sprinkle of hot sauce. It's also incredibly versatile - try macaroni noodles instead of rice, canned tuna instead of chicken, or another flavour of 'cream of' soup. Different types of vegetables - like mushrooms -  and cheese - like mozzarella -  also work well. The recipe below makes enough to serve two people with a bit left over.  

To make casserole:

Cook 1 cup of rice according to package directions. While rice is cooking,

slice 1 sweet onion and trim and cut 1/2 large bunch of asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Spread vegetables into a single layer on a baking sheet and brush with a small amount of olive oil. Place three boneless, skinless breasts onto another baking sheet. Cut the top off a bulb of garlic, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. Place vegetables, garlic and chicken in the oven and bake at 350. While they're cooking, grate 1 1/2 sharp cheese, such as Gruyère.

Turn the chicken and vegetables after 10-12 minutes. Remove the chicken after another 10-12 minutes or when fully cooked. Increase the temperature to 400 and cook the vegetables and garlic for a further 10 minutes. The vegetables should be starting to brown and the garlic should come out easily when squeezed. Dice the chicken into 1 inch cubes.

In an oven-proof casserole dish, combine rice, chicken, vegetables and cheese. Add 1/2 cup of frozen peas. Squeeze in roasted garlic. Add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and mix well (2 cans will make this extra-creamy). Season with pepper to taste. Spread Panko breadcrumbs over top. If serving right away, return to oven at 350F without a cover for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Otherwise place in freezer until ready to serve. Then defrost and follow last step.

{Adding the frozen peas and roasted onion and asparagus to the cooked rice}

 {Adding the chicken, cheese and garlic}