Baked Chicken and Rice With Black Beans

This is a delicious, pretty and nutritious casserole - it bakes while you prepare a salad.  If you have big appetites, serve cornbread or French bread too.   Choose your favorite beans, cheese and “heat” in your Tomatoes with Green Chilies to make it your own.    We used the chicken, but I suspect you wouldn’t even miss it.   We used our home-canned black beans in this favorite.           

 Baked Chicken and Rice With Black Beans

  10         ounces  Yellow Rice Mix

  1           cup  Onion -- chopped

     1/2    cup  Green Bell Pepper -- chopped

     1/2    cup  Carrot -- chopped

  1           Tablespoon   Olive Oil

  2           cups  Cooked Chicken -- cubed

  15         ounces  Black Beans, Canned – drained and rinsed

  10        ounce can  Tomatoes With Green Chilies -- undrained

  8           ounces  Monterey Jack Cheese -- grated

Preheat oven to 350°.  Prepare rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, saute onion, bell pepper, and carrot in hot oil in a medium skillet over medium heat 10 minutes or until tender.

Combine hot cooked rice, onion mixture, chicken, beans, diced tomatoes and chilis, and 6 ounces cheese in a large bowl.  Spoon into a lightly greased 3 quart or 13 x 9" baking dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

8 Servings

 "Southern Living Our Best Casseroles"

If you don’t have or don’t want to use the Yellow Rice Mix, perhaps to reduce sodium, here’s a recipe to make your own.

                        Rice Mix

  1           Cup  Rice

     1/4    Teaspoon  Turmeric

               Speck  Cayenne

     1/8    Teaspoon  Garlic Powder

     1/2    Teaspoon  Onion Powder

  1           Tablespoon  Dried Green Pepper

  3           Teaspoons  Chicken Base

  2 1/2    Cups  Water

  2           Tablespoons  Butter

To Make Rice Mix:

Melt the margarine in a saucepan. Add the mix. Sauté the rice and seasonings for a few minutes, until the rice is toasty, and begins to turn opaque. Add the water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place a lid on the pot. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible flame. Simmer, covered for until done, or for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.