Southwest Chicken & Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked Mahatma® Whole Grain Brown Rice or Mahatma® Organic Brown Rice
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced
- ¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 (4 oz) chopped green chiles, drained
- 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced (optional)
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup chopped onion
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Do you desire a cheesy casserole with all the tastes and flavors of your favorite Tex-Mex dish? Well, we have just the solution to ease those Southwestern cravings. This chicken and rice casserole made with 100% Whole Grain Brown Rice is the apple of our eye and a weekday winner in our kitchen.
Spread rice in the bottom of a greased 3-quart casserole dish or 9x13x2 inch baking pan.
Top with remaining ingredients; layering in the order listed.
In a medium bowl combine the sour cream, onion, salt, cumin, and black pepper to taste.
Spread over casserole; sprinkle with cheese. Bake in preheated 350 ºF. oven for 30 minutes.
Recipe Tip
Are you an avocado addict? When serving, add a side of fresh avocado slices and enjoy an extra touch of creaminess to your casserole!
Tasty Tex-Mex
With the right amount of southwestern flair, this recipe makes for a delicious alternative to the average casserole. Also, it calls for whole grains for a sturdy base, which is paramount to holding up the cheese and veggies in this dish. For that reason, we recommend either our Mahatma® Whole Grain Brown Rice or Mahatma® Organic Brown Rice.
Moving on to the goodies, in a greased casserole dish, the rice is topped with chicken, jalapeños, chopped green chiles, zucchini slices, and tomatoes, which are then drenched in a sour cream mixture and then topped with shredded Monterey Jack cheese. After being popped in the oven for 30 minutes, this dish comes out piping hot with the most delicious taste of buttery jack cheese, tender chicken, savory veggies, and creamy brown rice.
Weeknights, Sunday dinners, or lunch prep– this recipe can accommodate just about any occasion. Try it tonight and make the most out of your favorite casserole dish!
Ingredient Substitutions
No Brown Rice? Swap with 3 cups cooked of any Mahatma® Rice variety.
No cooked chicken breast? Swap with rotisserie chicken or turkey, cooked ground chicken, turkey, beef, or pork. Leftover fajita meat, chopped, will also be a good substitute. Make it vegetarian with tofu, extra veggies, or your favorite meat substitute.
No zucchini? Swap with your favorite vegetable: eggplant, yellow squash, chayote, pumpkin…
No Monterey Jack cheese? Swap with Pepper Jack, Mexican cheese blend, Gouda, Havarti, Colby, cheddar, Panella, or Oaxaca cheese.
No chopped green chilies? Swap with red or green salsa, hatch chilies, or chopped poblanos.
No jalapeño peppers? Swap with canned jalapeños, Serrano peppers, Padron peppers or hatch chilies.
No tomatoes? Swap 2 cups canned tomatoes, roasted red peppers, or cooked sliced beets.
No sour cream? Swap with plain greek yogurt, pureed cottage cheese or ricotta. You can also make your own sour cream by combining 1 cup of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons vinegar.
No onion? Use 1 teaspoon onion powder or shallots.
No cumin? Try ground coriander, caraway, chili powder, or paprika.
Continue Exploring Rice Recipes
If you want to continue discovering amazing recipes with rice that can be adjusted as you please, we recommend you try this Arroz con Leche Cuban recipe or a Paella Seafood Recipe. Starting with Mahatma® Rice, you can swap in other ingredients, spices or seasonings to really give your dishes a personalized touch!
