Chicken Spinach and Rice Casserole

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5 from 8 votes

Chicken Spinach and Rice Casserole

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Servings:

Calories: 534kcal

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breasts boneless
1 cup long grain brown rice
2 tablespoon avocado oil
1 onion diced
6 oz spinach about 6 cups, roughly chopped
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder or one clove, minced
1 and ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
1 cup Greek yogurt full fat for best flavor and texture
1 cup cheddar cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Lightly grease a deep 8x8in or 2 qt baking dish and set aside.
Cook 1 cup of rice as per the package directions. I recommend using a bit less water than is suggested as the rice will continue to absorb liquid in the casserole and you don't want it to turn out mushy.
Heat oil over medium in a skillet and add the diced chicken. Cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove to the baking dish.
In the same skillet, add ½ tablespoon of additional oil and saute the onions over medium until tender and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach until wilted, 1-2 additional minutes.
Add the chicken, rice, spinach mixtures, Greek yogurt, mustard, ½ cup of shredded cheese and spices to the casserole dish. Stir until well combined. Top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.
Bake, covered with an oven safe lid or tin foil at 350 °F for 20 minutes and then remove the lid/aluminum foil for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and melted. Let stand for 5 minutes and the serve.

Notes

Make Ahead: Assemble completely (end of step 5) , cover tightly with plastic wrap or a well fitting lid and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When ready, bake as directed, for 40-45 minutes (since the ingredients are no longer warm from the prior steps).

To Store: Store leftovers of this easy chicken casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

To Freeze: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Small portions of leftovers can reheated in the microwave until warmed through. The full casserole can be reheated, covered, in the oven for 40 minutes at 350 F.

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