Cheesy Chicken And Rice Bake

We’ve had several requests for quick, easy, family meals, from our followers who work from inside and outside of the home.  So as promised, this week, our blog will be focused on easy family favorite comfort dishes.
Today we are making Cheesy Chicken And Rice Bake, and the great thing about this one is that it can be assembled ahead of time, refrigerated and then put in the oven 30 to 35 minutes before dinner time.

As usual, we have replaced the rice with cauliflower rice, but if you follow these simple directions, you won’t be able to tell.

INGREDIENTS:

16     oz block mild cheddar (grated) for the cheese sauce
1      cup shredded mild cheddar for topping the bake
1       cup heavy whipping cream
2       bags frozen cauliflower rice (we find Green Giant cooks up best for this)
3 to 4   chicken breasts diced into bite sized pieces
4      cups med broccoli florets
1/2   onion finely diced
4      TBSP  duck fat/bacon grease or olive oil (we prefer duck fat for it’s rich flavor)
salt and pepper for seasoning

CHEESE SAUCE INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add 16 oz of grated cheese and 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to a medium saucepan.
2. Heat over med/low heat while stirring, until cheese and cream have emulsified.
   Do not let boil, or else cheese sauce can split, and go grainy.

CHICKEN BAKE INSTRUCTIONS:

1. PRE HEAT oven to 350F
2. Place the frozen cauliflower rice in microwave and heat on high for 15 mins.  Once ready, empty into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over med/high heat with 4 TBSP of duck fat, add cubed chicken and saute without flipping for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Turn chicken over and add onion, saute for an additional 2 minutes.  Followed by the broccoli, and saute a further 2 minutes.
5. Season the chicken mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Empty the chicken, onion and broccoli mixture into the mixing bowl with the rice, and stir to combine.
7. Add the cheese sauce to the chicken mixture and stir to combine.
8. Pour the mixture into a 13 x 9 glass baking dish, and top with 1 cup of shredded cheese.
9. Bake in the oven for 30-35 mins until golden on top.  Once baked, let cool for 10 minutes to allow the bake to Set-Up before serving.

SERVES: 6

PRODUCTS WE USE:

• OXO 13 x 9 GLASS BAKING DISH
• PIONEER WOMAN WOODEN BOARD

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