Southwestern Chicken and Rice

I’m always looking for new ways to prepare chicken, and this recipe appealed to me due to its Mexican flair. The dish was also extremely easy to prepare. I just love a meal where you throw a few ingredients all together and bake it in the oven.

The rice in this chicken casserole was so delicious. It was wonderfully cheesy and oh-so-tasty. My husband and I would both give the rice alone a four-star rating. We differed in opinion on the chicken. He thought the chicken was not only too dry but also bland and tasteless. I thought it was pretty good, and I decided that I probably should’ve cooked it for 55 minutes instead of the full 65 to yield a juicier piece of meat. I’ll try it again and not bake it as long to see if the chicken turns out more tender and juicy.

Broccoli makes a pleasant accompaniment to the chicken and cheesy rice. If you don’t care for broccoli, I’d serve your favorite green vegetable alongside this casserole.

So, I’m not quite sure what final rating to give to this dish. My husband said he’d give the chicken a 3 and the rice a 4, for a total combined rating of three-and-a-half stars. I’d give the whole thing a 4, so I suppose one could say Southwestern Chicken and Rice is technically a three-and-three-quarters stars meal. I’m going to go ahead and give it the full four stars, though, just because the rice is so good. Let me know what you think of it.

Have a good week and good eating!
Allison

Southwestern Chicken and Rice

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
8 oz. (2 cups) shredded Mexican cheese blend (I used Sargento Light Four-Cheese Mexican)
¾ cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1 tsp. dried cilantro leaves
1 cup salsa
1 cup water
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Preparation:
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Reserve ½ cup cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining cheese, rice, cilantro, salsa and water; mix well. Spoon into sprayed baking dish; spread evenly. Arrange chicken breast halves over rice mixture. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350°F for 55-65 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear, and rice is tender. Uncover; sprinkle with reserved ½ cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Go To Page: 1

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic