Mr. How Sweet has many moods, but not many tastes. He prefers a limited set of favorite foods — and he especially prefers them served together, often in casserole form.
If a meal doesn’t already resemble a casserole, he’ll mash and mix it until it does. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that behavior elsewhere — usually in toddlers.
Don’t judge this homely heap by its looks. It may not be attractive, but it has a delightful personality and plenty of flavor.
Some of the most unappealing dishes can be the tastiest — think of chocolate-covered bacon, for example.
This recipe couldn’t be simpler. You can toss in almost any ingredient you like. Chances are you’ll add extra vegetables — and that’s perfectly fine.
In fact, this rice bake is a great way to sneak vegetables into meals for picky eaters. Not that I need to hide veggies — I’m a thorough vegetable detective and can spot them easily. Beyond being flexible, the bake is quick, healthy, and nutritious. It’s full of protein from the yogurt, chicken, beans, and cheese, and the brown rice adds whole-grain goodness.
This dish came from my desire to move beyond plain, boring chicken and save Mr. How Sweet from a lifetime of dry, flavorless poultry. I’ve said it before: bland chicken won’t survive in this kitchen. Even if he prefers it that way, I’m the one in charge of the flavors.
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake
serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled and shredded
- 4 cups cooked brown rice
- 3/4 cup frozen corn
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1/2 cup chunky salsa
- 1 cup grated cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese (low-fat works well); extra for topping if desired
- Cilantro for garnish
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, cooked brown rice, corn, black beans, Greek yogurt, green chiles, salsa, and grated cheese. Stir thoroughly so the yogurt and cheese are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe baking dish and sprinkle additional cheese on top if you’d like a cheesier crust.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.
To simplify meal prep, I keep cooked chicken on hand and sometimes use ready-to-serve brown rice. With those two shortcuts, this bake can be assembled in minutes and is also great for making ahead and reheating.
Who needs pretty food when it tastes this good?