Mom’s Turmeric Chicken Casserole

This is an old family favourite on my side of the family – going back 50 years. It’s so simple but hearty and tasty. There never was a real name for it so I’m calling it Mom’s Turmeric Chicken. I was always fascinated that mom used turmeric – she was a fabulous cook and seemed to be ahead of her time.

1 whole chicken, cut up
salt, pepper
1 Tbsp oil

1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 clove chopped garlic
1 – 28 oz can tomatoes
1 tsp turmeric
1 cup uncooked rice

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, brown in hot oil 15 minutes.
Saute onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic in butter or margarine for 5 minutes. Mix into tomatoes, rice, and tumeric. Place in greased casserole, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1  1/4 hours.

Note:
“Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a culinary spice that spans cultures – it is a major ingredient in Indian curries, and makes American mustard yellow. But evidence is accumulating that this brightly colored relative of ginger is a promising disease-preventive agent as well, probably due largely to its anti-inflammatory action.”  
Dr. Weil