Easy Cheesy Chicken and Rice
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.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon diced onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1.5 cups cooked shredded chicken
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- ½ 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.