Southwestern Chicken and Rice Fiesta Bake

LOVE this recipe!  One of my favorites, because while it takes about 40 minutes to bake, it only takes about 5 minutes to throw together and place in the oven.  Perfect and simply weeknight meal.  It's also a big hit with my kids, and the leftovers are delicious as well!

Southwestern Chicken and Rice Fiesta Bake

(Recipe modified from a Pampered Chef recipe.)

1 1/2 cups instant long grain brown rice, uncooked

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa

1 tsp. Sea Salt

1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp. Paprika

1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano

1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 tsp. Onion Powder

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp. Chili Powder

4   boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4-6 oz. each)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 Additional salsa, sour cream and chopped cilantro for serving (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine dry spices together.  Place rice, corn, black beans, stock, salsa and two-third of spice mixture in a rectangular (preferably glass) baking dish; stir to combine.  

2. Sprinkle chicken with remaining spice mixture. Place chicken on top of rice mixture.  

3. Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in thickest part of breast and juices run clear.  

4. Remove baking dish from oven to cooling rack and top evenly with cheese. Let stand 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

5. Serve with additional salsa, sour cream and chopped cilantro (optional).  

Yield:  4 servings -- 1 chicken breast and 1/2 cup of cooked rice mixture.

(For 21 Day Fix “container counts”, each serving counts as:  1 red, 2 yellows, 1/2 a purple, and 1 blue.  Serve over a green salad to get those green containers in too!)

If you are interested in a 21 Day Fix support group, more healthy/21 Day Fix-friendly recipes, or a free weekly meal-planning tutorial, please get in touch with me directly at chrispechulis@gmail.com. 

XO

All the best,

CHRISTINE