Spanish Chicken Rice Casserole

Try This Spanish Rice-Chicken Casserole Recipe

This Spanish chicken rice casserole is based on one of my most cherished family recipes. If you're looking for Spanish rice recipes or chicken casserole recipes, then why not try this one?

I first threw this together when I wanted a switch from our usual, much cherished family Chicken Rice Casserole recipe. Like that one, it goes together quickly and can even be mostly assembled ahead of time.

Spanish Chicken Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

2 to 4 chicken breasts or boneless thighs
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked saffron rice
Salt & pepper to taste
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 small green or red pepper, chopped
1 can rotel or 1 cup salsa

1/2 cup shredded nacho cheese
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1 small jalopeno, seeded & chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 can cheddar cheese or Fiesta Nacho Cheese soup (Campbells)
2/3 cup sour cream
Crushed nacho chips

Directions:

Cook the rice until done, following your usual routine or package directions. Cook the chicken either on top of the stove, by boiling in some water or in a casserole in the microwave with water. Either way, cook the garlic and onion with the chicken.

When the chicken is done, strain the broth out, retaining it and cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Combine all ingredients together (except the chips and cheese) in a 2-quart casserole.

Top with the shredded cheese and then the crushed nacho chips and bake at 325 for about 30 to 60 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the chips are slightly browned.

I've developed a number of ethnic variations on my original recipe. Be sure to check them all out at the bottom of this page! They're each delicious and meant to appeal to different tastes and moods, but they're all great.

Variations

Use brown rice instead of saffron
Use leftover cooked chicken or store-bought fajita chicken breast strips
Change the seasonings to suit your palate
Use cream of chicken or cream of onion soup instead of cheese soup
Add in other vegetables, such as mushrooms or carrots

There really are many ways you could go with this recipe, so once you've tried this one, the original, or any of the variations I've thought up, feel free to let go with your own imagination. You really can't go wrong, if you use the thrown together principles.