Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake

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4.19 Mitt(s)21 Rating(s)21 votes, average: 4.19 out of 521 votes, average: 4.19 out of 521 votes, average: 4.19 out of 521 votes, average: 4.19 out of 521 votes, average: 4.19 out of 5
Prep Time 
Cook Time 
Difficulty Easy
This is an easy recipe and most ingredients are on hand! And for someone that doesn't do leftovers this one was good the next day! 
A quick, easy and healthy casserole to throw together when you’re pressed for time!

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for cilantro and mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure the yogurt and cheese are stirred in throughout the entire bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and top with extra cheese if you would like. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
To make this process easier, I always have cooked chicken on hand, and use Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice. If you have those two things, this can be throw together in a matter of minutes! It can also easily be made ahead of time and reheated.

Ingredients

  • 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • 4 cups Cooked Brown Rice
  • ¾ cups Frozen Corn
  • 15 ounces, fluid Can Black Beans, Drained And Rinsed
  • 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (or Sour Cream)
  • 4 ounces, fluid Can Green Chilis
  • ½ cups Salsa
  • 1 cup Low-fat Cheddar Cheese, Plus More For Topping
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro For Garnish

Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole

We LOVED this casserole...hearty, full of yummy vegetables, and easy to make. Great for leftovers too. We will definitely be making this one again- it really was delicious.
image courtesy allrecipes.com
Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole

1/3 cup brown rice
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/3 cup onion, diced
1 medium zucchini, chopped or thinly sliced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (I used 1/3 of the Costco rotisserie chicken)
1/2 to 3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp. cumin
Salt, to taste
Cayenne Pepper, to taste
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies
1/3 cup carrots, chopped small
2 cups shredded swiss cheese

Mix the rice and chicken broth in pot on stovetop, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until rice is tender. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a medium-sized casserole dish. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion until tender. Mix in the zucchini, chicken, and mushrooms. Season with cumin, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir until zucchini is lightly browned and chicken is heated through. In a large bowl, mix the rice, onion, zucchini, chicken, mushrooms, beans, chilies, carrots, and half of the swiss cheese. Transfer to the baking dish and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover casserole dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Texas Shepherd's Pie

Potatoes + Cheese + Meat = Comfort Food. Sometimes you just need some, right? :) Add some veggies and spices to the mix and you've got a great meal. We don't eat a lot of ground beef in our family, but when I saw this recipe, I knew we had to make it, and I'm sure glad we did. It was so delicious.
Texas Shepherd's Pie
Adapted from Evil Shenanigans

6 small Red potatoes (or 2 Russett), diced into 1/2-in. pieces
1 Tbs. butter, softened
1/2 cup milk (I used skim with great results)
1 1/3 cup shredded pepperjack cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 lb. ground beef
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 can diced tomatoes (or 1 c. chopped fresh)

Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Boil potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain and cream with butter and milk until smooth, creamy consistency. Add more milk if needed. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 cup of cheese, mix well. Set aside. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and 1 tsp. salt. Once onions are softened (about 5 minutes), add garlic and remaining spices. Stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add the ground beef and stir until well-browned. Add in the black beans and corn and cook until the corn is heated through. Add tomatoes and then transfer to baking dish. Spread remaining cheese on top of meat mixture. Then spread potatoes on top (I had to use my fingers b/c the potatoes were pretty sticky). Bake about 35 minutes, until juices are boiling. Broil for 3-5 minutes until potatoes are browned to desire. Allow the casserole to rest 5-10 minutes before eating.

Sour Cream Lasagna


I don't know where this recipe came from, but we've (meaning the Jewkes sisters) have been making this for years. It's the easiest lasagna you'll ever make and so yummy and different from traditional lasagna recipes. I'm sure once you make it, it'll become a staple in your dinner rotation as it has in mine.

Sour Cream Lasagna

1 lb ground beef or turkey (I actually just cook a couple breasts of chicken and then shred it)
16 oz. spaghetti sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. Italian seasonings to taste
8oz. lasagna noodles, cooked al dente (or you can use Barilla no-boil noodles)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
parmesan cheese to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together meat, sauce, sour cream, cottage cheese, and 1 tsp. Italian seasoning. Layer in 9x13 dish: noodles, meat, noodles, meat. Top with cheddar cheese, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese (gives a little extra flavor). Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve.