Clean Eating Healthy Cheesy Chicken and Brown Rice Bake (OAMC)

Makes 6 servings
I love this recipe because it feels like comfort food but it's totally not sinful. Also, it’s a complete meal all in one dish; protein, whole grain, and green veggie. It makes me very happy when I don’t have to cook side dishes :) It makes my kids very happy when their dinner involves cheese.

This dish freezes really well before or after you cook it. If I have a bunch of brown rice and cooked chicken, I’ll throw a few together, make one for dinner, and freeze the others for another night.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked brown rice (or other whole grain)
• 1 ½ cups shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese, divided (NOT fat free… unless you like the sensation of eating plastic)
• 1 ½ cups cooked, chopped chicken breast (I use poached chicken like THIS)
• ½ cup cottage cheese or plain greek yogurt
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup egg whites
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1 tbsp chopped green chilis, drained (optional)
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)

ONE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine rice, 1 cup cheese, chicken, cottage cheese/yogurt, onion, egg whites, green chilis, and cilantro in a large bowl; Mix well.

TWO: Spray an 8x8inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and dump the rice mixture in. Top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.

THREE: Bake 45 to 50 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.

Freeze leftovers in individual portions using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash.

MAKE AHEAD (OAMC) METHOD:
Assemble as directed above in a disposable baking pan but do not bake. Freeze the entire pan. On cooking day, defrost overnight in the fridge and bake 60-70 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per Serving - 280 Calories (75 Calories from Fat), 8g Total Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 48mg Cholesterol, 317mg Sodium, 27g Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 1g Sugar, 25g Protein, 11% DV Vitamin A, 24% DV Vitamin C, 29% DV Calcium, 6% DV Iron

:)