CHEESY SOUTHWEST CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE

Cheesy Southwest Chicken and Rice Casserole image

Easy, kid-friendly, healthy, yummy chicken and rice casserole. Double the recipe to have one casserole to bake right away and one to freeze for later.

Provided by Rena

Time 1h35m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 (7 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
¼ cup olive oil, divided
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 ½ cups water
1 (10 ounce) bag yellow rice
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 medium carrots, shredded
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place chicken in a small baking dish and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, turning to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Cut into strips or cubes when cool enough to handle. Leave the oven on.
While the chicken bakes, bring water and 2 tablespoons olive oil to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff lightly with fork.
While the rice cooks, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes.
Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Place rice, vegetable mixture, chicken, 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, beans, and tomatoes in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Spoon into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes longer.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 409.3 calories, Carbohydrate 41 g, Cholesterol 53.3 mg, Fat 16.8 g, Fiber 5 g, Protein 24.2 g, SaturatedFat 6.7 g, Sodium 990.8 mg, Sugar 2.7 g