Chicken and Rice Pot PIe {Riceland}

Disclosure: I am proud to serve as a Brand Ambassador for for Arkansas-based Riceland Foods. All opinions are my own.

Arkansas leads the nation in rice production. Rice production started in Arkansas in 1902 in Lonoke County. There are some indications that it may have been grown even earlier, prior to the Civil War. According the the University of Arkansas Extension Service, t he record harvested acreage for Arkansas rice was achieved in 2010 with 1.785 million acres.

The Arkansas rice-producing area is primarily in the eastern half of the state. it is also produced in the Arkansas River Valley and in the Ouachita and Red River Valleys in southwest Arkansas.

Because rice is grown fairly close to where we live, I get to watch it throughout it’s growing and harvesting season, and I think it’s one of the prettiest crops growing in the fields. It’s a sea of green in the spring.

And golden in early fall.

Being the rice girl I am, I’m always looking for new ways to use it. One of our favorite ways is in this adaptation of my grandmothers’ Chicken Pot Pie that we grew up with. It’s a terrific way to use up that leftover rice you may have on occasion.

Did you know that rice freezes very well? Just let it come to room temperature before using it.

This version of Chicken and Rice Pot Pie includes all of your favorite veggies in a creamy, luscious sauce. Make it easy on yourself and use frozen mixed vegetables, deli-roasted chicken and refrigerator pie crust. My version makes 2 so I always have one to share or one to keep in the freezer for a meal to have on hand. Any leftover filling goes into Chicken Pot Pie Hand Pies which are easy to make using that refrigerator pie crust. I freeze those individually to have on hand for quick lunches. They travel well i lunch boxes as well.