Chicken and rice can be an economical and delicious main meal. If you have some time, try the chicken and brown rice recipe for an unusual rice pilaf style dinner with a middle eastern flair. It will take about an hour to prepare and cook. If it’s a busy weeknight family dinner that you need, go with the chicken and rice casserole dish. This can be made in about 30 minutes, and is easy enough for a teenager to get it started after school.
Brown rice is an excellent source of fiber, and it’s nutty flavor pairs well with chicken. Use a leftover cooked or barbequed chicken breast from a weekend meal to whip up this easy chicken and brown rice recipe.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 tbsp butter or margarine, divided
1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced or 2 tsp chopped garlic in oil
1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded
2 1/2 cups Campbell’s Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon zest
pinch freshly ground pepper
1 cup sliced mushrooms
Method:
Use a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and set over medium heat. Brown raisins and almonds in 1 tbsp of the butter until they are golden (almonds will be a toasty golden color), then set aside on a plate. In the same saucepan place remaining butter and stir in the uncooked rice, onin, and garlic for five minutes or until onion is transclucent. Add shredded chicken, chicken broth, bay leaf, lemon juice, lemon and pepper. Cover with the saucepan lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 40 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another five minutes. Remove bay leaf, and garnish with more raisins and toasted almonds if you wish. To round out this delicious brown rice dish and turn this into a complete meal, serve with a side of broccoli or a dark leafy green salad. For dessert serve frozen yogurt with fresh fruit for a calcium boost.
This recipe makes 4-5 large servings with 350 calories each. There are 3 grams of dietary fiber, 48 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat and 10 grams of protein.
Easy Weeknight Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 tbsp butter or margarine
2 cups cooked cubed chicken
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas and carrots or peas, carrots and corn)
1/2 tsp each dried thyme and dried rosemary
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use a large skillet to cook onion, celery and mushrooms in butter over medium heat for five minutes. Stir in all other ingredients and mix carefully. Pour into greased 8 cup or two litre casserole or baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes. Check to see if the rice is cooked through.
This recipe serves four, with 285 calories per serving. Each serving contains 3 grams of dietary fiber, 24 carbs, 11 grams of fat and 23 grams of protein. Serve with a slice of whole grain bread and a big glass of milk to hit all your food groups. For dessert try these low-fat pumpkin cookies. Enjoy!