This is a one dish meal for us. I might serve a salad with it, but most likely not.

For once, I know the originator of a long time recipe I've been making: Me! ;-)

Chicken and Grains
By: Pam Wagner

This is one of those measured by eye recipes. I have never taken the time to figure out the proportions. The amounts listed here are guesses, as I haven't made this in a while. It makes a lot and freezes well for a future reheated meal.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Spray the bottom of a large broiler pan with a mister; I use extra light olive oil in mine.

Take 1 to 2 lbs of peeled carrots and slice them about 1/4" thick on the oblique (diagonal); layer them to cover the bottom of the pan.

I love garlic! I use a whole head that I crush over the layer of carrots, but you can do this to taste.

Pour uncooked long grain white rice over the carrots and garlic to cover, I think about 1 lb will do it. Do the same with uncooked pearled barley over the rice, again, I think about 1 lb will do it.

Take a 1 lb box of medium shell dry pasta (you can use any shape, but I like shells), and layer over the barley. Use your clean hand to even it out.

Pour one envelope of dry onion soup mix into a bowl and mix to disperse the seasonings evenly. Sprinkle over the layers in the pan.

Place divided leg quarters over the grains to fit in the pan. Do not press down, layer them lightly on top of the grains. In my large broiler pan, I can fit 8 leg quarters (16 pieces of chicken).

Slice up to 1/2 lb of fresh mushrooms and put the slices on top of the chicken pieces.

Pour a second envelope of dry onion soup mix into a bowl and disperse evenly. Sprinkle over the chicken pieces and mushroom slices.

Pour homemade or low sodium chicken stock around the chicken pieces until you can see the liquid about halfway up the pasta level (if your homemade stock is gelatinous use half stock/half water). I think I use about a quart, but again it is by eye. Try not to pour any on to the chicken pieces, you don't want to rinse off the soup mix and mushroom pieces. I've debated adding about 1/2 cup of white wine or dry sherry to the liquid, but think it may disappear in all that broth.

Cover the broiler pan tightly with foil and bake for one hour. Remove and see if the chicken is cooked through and the pasta and grains are tender. Recover and cook an additional 15 minutes if needed.

Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before removing foil. Put the chicken pieces on a warm platter and use a spatula to serve up the grains, including the carrots on the very bottom.

I should note that the carrots normally carmelize (we love them) and may (and probably will) stick to the pan, even with using a good non-stick spray. A good spatula will remove them for service, but the clean-up may dissuade some from making it again.