This traditional chicken and rice casserole is quick and easy. Refrigerated pasta sauce trades place with soup as a rich, no-fuss base, while leftover cubed chicken — roasted or fried — keeps the whole dish simple.

• 1 10-ounce container refrigerated light Alfredo pasta sauce
• ½ cup milk
• 2½ cups cooked white rice or wild rice
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ⅓ cup chopped bottled roasted red sweet peppers
• ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon snipped fresh basil or ½ teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 Tablespoon butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl combine pasta sauce and milk. Stir in rice, chicken, peas, sweet peppers, nuts, and basil. Transfer to 1½-quart baking dish.
2. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Uncover and stir. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle atop. Bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes more or until heated through and crumbs are golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4.