Tonight, I made “Gammy’s Chicken Casserole” for dinner. It’s my favorite comfort food, and I really needed comfort food.
The recipe comes from my grandma though we called her Gammy. It’s likely not so different from a recipe you may follow: chicken, rice, cream soup, onion, eggs—the basics. But I don’t need a recipe card anymore; it’s tucked away in my memory, something I can make almost on autopilot.
As I mixed it together tonight, I found myself wondering: Would Gammy have made it this way—after a full day of homeschooling, throwing it in the oven a few hours later?
Probably not. Homeschooling wasn’t something she ever had considered. Actually, I think I’m the first in our family to do it. Would she have used purple onion because she ran out of sweet onion and didn’t have time for the store? I doubt it, she’d have planned ahead.
Would she have worried whether her kids would eat it, debating if she should make something else? Maybe. She definitely wanted everyone happy, but I doubt she’d be making multiple meals at once like I sometimes do.
And I wonder about other things too. Would she like the way I dress now, the way I keep my hair short? I think so. She’d be so proud of anything we did.
Would she pay attention to today’s news and worry? Most definitely. The state of the world would have her concerned, not for herself, but for us, her grandkids.
The thing about a family recipe is that it carries so much more than food . . . it carries memories. I can still see myself sitting in her kitchen, enjoying this meal with her. I remember the times my mom made it for me too and how loved it made me feel. Each bite brings me comfort and reminds me of where I come from.
No, I can’t change the world. But I can hold onto what’s good. And tonight, that’s Grammy’s Chicken Casserole.
Grammy’s Chicken Casserole
What You’ll Need:
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3 to 5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
½ cup instant rice (just fill the empty soup can about halfway)
½ cup milk (use the same can to measure)
½ cup Miracle Whip (about 4 heaping spoonfuls)
2 tablespoons diced onion (about ½ an onion)
1 cup diced celery (about 3 stalks, totally optional, I usually skip it!)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
¼ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
How to Make It:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. In a casserole dish, toss in all the ingredients however you like: shredded chicken, chopped hard-boiled eggs, cream of chicken soup, instant rice, milk, Miracle Whip, diced onion, celery (if using), salt, and pepper
3. Stir it all together until it’s well mixed
4. Cover and bake for 30 minutes
5. Uncover and bake for another 5 minutes
6. You can dig in right away, but honestly, it’s even better if you let it sit for a bit and reheat later. Leftovers are amazing the next day!
by Katie Cervenec 
by Jenni Brennan 
by Julie Hoag 
