In Minnesota, chicken, mushrooms and wild rice are often bound together in a casserole with cream of mushroom soup. We forgo the sodium-rich canned soup and make a light, creamy sauce that gets depth of flavor from dry sherry and Parmesan cheese.

Makes: 8 servings

Active Time: 60 minutes

Total Time: 105 minutes

2 cups water

1/2 cup wild rice

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 leeks, chopped and rinsed

1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, sliced

1 cup dry sherry (see Note)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups low-fat milk

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 cups frozen French-cut green beans

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Combine water and rice in a small, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, place chicken in a large skillet or saucepan. Add lightly salted water to cover and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a clean cutting board and let cool.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until their liquid has been released and has evaporated, 12 to 14 minutes. Add sherry, increase heat to high and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes.

Sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Add milk; bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Stir in Parmesan, sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch (or similar 3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.

Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Spread the rice in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Top with the chicken, then green beans. Pour the sauce over the top and spread evenly. Sprinkle with almonds.

Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the almonds are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe notes: If you already have cooked chicken, use 4 cups and skip the second step. Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. "Cooking sherry," sold in many supermarkets, can be high in sodium. Instead, get dry sherry that's sold with other fortified wines at your wine or liquor store.

Nutrition: Per serving: 371 calories; 13 g fat (4 g sat, 7 g mono); 76 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 34 g protein; 4 g fiber; 469 mg sodium; 796 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Potassium (23 percent daily value), Calcium & Magnesium (21 percent dv), Vitamin A (20 percent dv), Folate (18 percent dv), Zinc (17 percent dv), Iron & Vitamin C (16 percent dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate serving(s)

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 fat

(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)