Spicy Chicken & Brown Rice Bake
By Julie Cader
This spicy casserole is comparable to a rice & chicken burrito, but without the tortillas. It is easy to make with items from your pantry. Why not turn the heat up with a few more dashes of hot pepper sauce! This recipe will serve 6-8.
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked California brown rice (I used Lundberg’s Organic Brown Short Grain Rice)
4 tablespoons butter (two tablespoons for rice, two tablespoons for poaching chicken)
6 dashes hot pepper sauce
5 chicken breasts, poached
Chicken Broth (for both rice and poaching chicken)
8 oz. container sharp cheddar pub cheese
7 oz. can Salsa Verde
7 oz. can Salsa Mexicana
7 oz. can Fire Roasted Diced Green Chiles
28 oz. can red enchilada sauce
30 oz. can nonfat refried beans
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups shredded aged reserve cheddar cheese
1 small fresh red pepper, chopped
Sour cream
Directions
Grease a large baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Preparing the rice
Prepare brown rice according to package directions. I substituted chicken broth for the water. Once rice is cooked and still hot, stir in the tub of pub cheese until mixed through. Hard to resist not eating all of the cheesy rice at this stage!
Poaching the chicken breasts
Poach chicken breasts in glass microwave safe dish in chicken broth seasoned with hot pepper sauce and 2 tablespoons butter. You want to make sure the broth mixture comes up halfway on the chicken breasts. Tightly cover the dish with plastic cling wrap.
Microwave on high for approximately 3 minutes per chicken breast, or until internal temperature of each breast is at least 165 F (use a food thermometer). Once cooked breasts are cool to the touch, go ahead and shred or dice the meat.
Preparing the casserole
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the chicken and enchilada sauce. Mix in the cheesy rice, beans, salsas, chiles, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.
Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and sprinkle reserve cheddar cheese over top of mixture. Top with chopped red pepper.
Bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm with dollops of sour cream and a side green salad. A gluten-free dinner that is sure to liven your taste buds!
Julie is Finance & Administration Manager for the California Rice Commission, and a big proponent of trying new recipes- especially if they feature California rice.
