Chicken Breasts with Wild Rice Alfredo

Chicken Breasts with Wild Rice Alfredo
3/4 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained
1/2 can (14 oz) roasted garlic-seasoned chicken broth (I used the whole can and only could find regular broth so added 1 tsp jar garlic in oil to it)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon butter or margarine (I also added a bit of EVOO)
3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb) (I used 4)
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 jar (7 oz) roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped (I used the whole jar and put the other half in the rice mixture at the bottom of the dish)
1 cup Alfredo pasta sauce (I used the whole 15 oz jar of Classico Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce)
In 2-quart saucepan, heat wild rice, broth and water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 45 to 60 minutes or until rice kernels are open and almost tender; drain if necessary. Stir in thyme. Spread rice in ungreased 9x9-inch glass baking dish. (I used an 11 x 7 baking dish) Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in butter 8 to10 minutes, turning once, until brown. Place on cooked rice. Add mushrooms to skillet. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Stir in bell peppers and Alfredo sauce; pour over chicken. Bake uncovered 45 to 55 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. If you can’t find chicken broth with garlic, make your own by finely chopping 2 cloves of garlic and stirring it into regular chicken broth. Two cups refrigerated Alfredo sauce can be used instead of the jarred sauce.
For the best flavor and texture, make sure the wild rice has cooked long enough to “pop” open to show its white insides. You may need to add more water during cooking.