Chicken-Rice Casserole with Mozzarella
Submitted by muppet
This cheesy chicken-rice casserole layers tender chicken, sweet corn, and red bell peppers under a bubbly mozzarella blanket. A hearty weeknight one-dish dinner ready in about an hour.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
40 minREADY
70 minThere’s something deeply satisfying about pulling a golden, bubbling casserole out of the oven on a busy weeknight.
This chicken-rice casserole brings together brown rice, sweet corn, diced red bell peppers, and tender chicken, all bound with a tangy sour cream and Dijon mustard sauce.
The real star? A generous layer of melted mozzarella on top that goes golden and irresistible.
Bonus: there’s a microwave shortcut version built right into the directions for those nights when even preheating the oven feels like too much.
Kitchen Tips
- Use leftover rotisserie chicken or smoked turkey to cut your prep time in half
- Brown rice holds up better than white in a casserole since it won’t turn mushy
- Let the casserole rest 5 minutes after baking so it sets up and slices cleanly
- Swap in frozen peas or diced zucchini for the corn if that’s what you have on hand
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 oF. Spray a 1½ quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil hot but not smoking.
Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the bell peppers, corn ¼ cup of the broth, the thyme and begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining ¾ cup broth, the rice, sour cream, and mustard.
Add the chicken, remove from the heat, and stir until well combined.
Stir in one-third of the mozzarella and the parsley.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole. Spread the mixture evenly.
Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese has melted.
Microwave Shortcuts: In a 2-quart microwave safe casserole, combine the oil, onion, garlic and bell peppers.
Cover and cook at high for 4 minutes, or until the peppers and onion begin to soften.
Stir in the corn, ½ cup of the broth, the thyme, black pepper, rice, sour cream, mustard, and chicken.
Stir in one-third of the mozzarella and the parsley.
Re-cover and cook at high for 7 minutes, stirring once.
Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and cook at high for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.
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