Chicken Rice Casserole with Almonds

When I was growing up, my mom made a home-cooked meal most every night of the week.  This chicken rice casserole is a recipe that survived the test of time as we have enjoyed it through the years. The original recipe calls for chopped pimientos and green pepper, but those were eventually omitted to suit the various tastes of picky eaters.  (I seem to remember being the one to pick out pimientos...)

Now that I'm trying to feed my own picky eaters, I'm grateful for a basic recipe that will appeal to (most) everyone in the family.  I love the crunch of the almonds, but leave those out of part of the casserole to help make everyone happy.

Chicken Rice Casserole with Almonds
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (brown rice works great)
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
1/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper.  Heat until bubbly and cook and stir for one minute.  Gradually whisk in the broth and milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir one minute.

3. Stir in the rice, chicken and almonds.  Pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish or 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle additional almonds on top, if desired.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Source: slightly adapted from my mom