Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole

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Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole – colorful veggies, black beans, chicken and yellow rice are combined with melting Monterey Jack cheese in this delicious casserole that is sure to please both kids and adults.

Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole

As summer comes to an end here in New England, the days are still sunny and pretty warm, with temperatures in the 60s to low-70s°F. My 2-year old twin girls still frolic around on our deck in their swimsuits and splash around in their paddling pool.

I don’t think it’s warm enough for being in the pool, but my girls disagree. They have a hardy New England constitution, which they most definitely did not get from me — I grew up in Maryland.


But, by late afternoon it has started to cool down and start to feel like fall, and for me that means it’s time to turn on the oven and bring on the casseroles!

Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole

I made this Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole, last week when my parents were in town. They were visiting us on their way home to Maryland, from a trip to St. John and Bar Harbor. They were taking my 6-year old son, after school, to Kimball Farm for his first real game of mini golf, and didn’t know when they’d be back for dinner.

So, this Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole was a perfect choice for dinner that night. It takes about 40 minutes in the oven to bake, but then can easily sit in a warm oven for a couple of hours, or whenever people roll in for dinner. It also reheats and freezes well.

Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole

This Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole is a family favorite, a hit for kids and adults alike, and perfect for a casual family dinner. With all the vegetables, black beans, chicken, rice and cheese, it is a one-dish meal; I also like to serve it with a simple tossed green salad.

I love to top a serving of this delicious Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole with a large dollop of sour cream.  My husband likes to also add a couple of dashes of hot sauce.

What is your family’s favorite casserole? Please let me know in the comments below!

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Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Yield: 8 main dish servings

Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole

Colorful veggies, black beans, chicken and yellow rice are combined with melting Monterey Jack cheese in this Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole that is sure to please both kids and adults.

Ingredients

  • 1 (14 oz) package yellow rice mix
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion (½ medium onion)
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium pepper)
  • 1 cup chopped carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
  • 4 cups cubed cooked chicken (from about 2 large breast halves)
  • 2 cups (8 oz) grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • Light sour cream for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 or 3-quart casserole dish.
  2. Prepare yellow rice according to package directions.
  3. While rice is cooking, heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium high heat, add onion, red bell pepper and carrots and sauté for 10 minutes or until tender.
  4. In a large bowl, combine hot cooked rice, sautéed onion, red bell pepper and carrots, black beans, diced tomatoes with chilies, chicken and 1 cup of cheese.
  5. Transfer mixture into prepared casserole dish, sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
  6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  7. Serve and top with sour cream if desired.

Notes

If I don’t have cooked chicken on hand to make this casserole, I'll cook some chicken by poaching in a skillet. I like to do this step in the morning or the night before I plan to make this casserole.

To Poach Chicken: Place chicken breasts in a skillet and fill the skillet with water or chicken broth until the chicken is almost, but not completely, covered. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 30-40 minutes, turning chicken half way through, until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Let chicken cool, then cut into cubes.

http://joylovefood.com/cheesy-chicken-yellow-rice-black-bean-casserole/

Adapted from myrecipes.com.
 
Cheesy Chicken, Yellow Rice and Black Bean Casserole -- colorful veggies, black beans, chicken and yellow rice are combined with melting Monterey Jack cheese in this delicious casserole that is sure to please both kids and adults.

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24 comments

  1. Gloria says:

    Great looking recipe but I am allergic to tomatoes Suggestions as to how I can adopt this recipe sans tomatoes?

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  3. ashl says:

    I made this a few days ago with left over chicken and it was AMAZING!! This is what I think of when I hear the term :comfort food”. Thank you for sharing, will be making this a lot more.

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