Easy Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Welcome to the January 29, 2017 edition of Sunday Scratchups: Your weekly recipe from scratch around ingredients that are either on sale or generally affordable. Up this week: Easy Cheesy Chicken and Rice! This recipe was inspired by cheesy salsa verde chicken and rice from Iowa Girl Eats, which I first made pretty much as written earlier this week.

But then… I decided to jazz up my second batch of cheesy chicken and rice as shown here by adding some spinach, lime juice, onion, garlic, and spices, and to substitute cooked rotisserie chicken for fresh. (This is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken, and provides some variety as opposed to the usual soups and chilis.)

Easy Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp diced onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1.5 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne
1.5 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup salsa verde (or any salsa will do, in a pinch!)
1 cup long grain white rice
4 oz sharp shredded cheddar cheese
squeeze of lime juice (from one wedge)
1 cup packed fresh baby spinach

Directions

In a medium saucepan with lid, heat olive oil over medium heat for one minute. Add onion and saute until soft and starting to brown, then add garlic, chicken, and spices. Stir, heat through, and set aside in a separate bowl.

Add broth, salsa, and rice to pot and turn heat to high to bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and turn heat down to medium-low. Simmer for 13 minutes, remove from heat, and let sit with the lid on for another five minutes.

Open lid and stir rice, then add cheese, lime juice, reserved chicken, and spinach. Stir until cheese is melted and spinach is wilted, then let the cheesy chicken and rice sit uncovered for another couple of minutes to thicken up.

Note: If you don’t have salsa verde you can substitute another salsa — red salsas will make the dish appear muddier, however, and will change the flavor up a bit.

This is Easy — and Chicken Cheesy

So good! You can serve this cheesy chicken and rice topped with diced green onion, avocado, and/or extra salsa if desired. It’s hearty enough to serve as a main dish, and the spinach adds a nice pop of color and contrast. Just add a simple green veggie or salad on the side, and you have yourself a complete easy weeknight meal in just 30 minutes. (Any leftovers reheat nicely for lunch the next day, too.)

Cheesy chicken and rice is naturally gluten free.

Easy Cheesy Chicken and Rice, printable recipe

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Easy Cheesy Chicken and Rice

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This is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken, and provides some variety as opposed to the usual soups and chilis. Cheesy chicken and rice is naturally gluten free.

Course dinner

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Rachel Singer

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp diced onion
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1.5 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup salsa verde (or any salsa will do, in a pinch!)
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 4 oz sharp shredded cheddar cheese
• squeeze of lime juice (from one wedge)
• 1 cup packed fresh baby spinach

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan with lid, heat olive oil over medium heat for one minute.
• Add onion and saute until soft and starting to brown, then add garlic, chicken, and spices.
• Stir, heat through, and set aside in a separate bowl.
• Add broth, salsa, and rice to pot and turn heat to high to bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, cover and turn heat down to medium-low.
• Simmer for 13 minutes, remove from heat, and let sit with the lid on for another five minutes.
• Open lid and stir rice, then add cheese, lime juice, reserved chicken, and spinach.
• Stir until cheese is melted and spinach is wilted, then let the cheesy chicken and rice sit uncovered for another couple of minutes to thicken up.

Notes

If you don't have salsa verde you can substitute another salsa -- red salsas will make the dish appear muddier, however, and will change the flavor up a bit.

 

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