Chicken, Rice, and Vegetable Casserole

Step 1

First, you’ll need to cook your chicken and rice, if you’re not using leftovers. Cook rice according to package directions. (Note: 1 cup cooked rice yields approximately three cups cooked.) Bake or poach your chicken breasts until cooked through, then dice or shred.

Step 2

Meanwhile, cut your cauliflower into bite sized pieces. Steam until al dente, about ten minutes. You don’t want it too soft, as it will cook more in the casserole. Pour the cauliflower into a colander, and run cold water over it to stop the cooking.

Step 3

While the cauliflower is cooking, dice the red pepper, and thinly slice the leeks, white and light green parts only. Cut the ends off the leeks, then sliced into quarters lengthwise before thinly slicing across.

Step 4

Slice the ends off the zucchini, then cut lengthwise into quarters before slicing across into 1/4 inch chunks.

Step 5

Remove the tough stems from the kale, and tear into bite sized pieces.

Step 6

Optional step: If you like your veggies on the softer side, give the zucchini, leeks, bell pepper and kale a quick sauté, about 5 minutes to soften them a bit before cooking. I like a bit more crunch to my veggies, so I simply mix them together raw, with the exception of steaming the cauliflower.

Step 7

Mix together the chicken, veggies, and rice, in the prepared casserole dish.

Step 8

In a medium bowl, mix together the cheeses, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, and black pepper. Pour this over the chicken, rice, and veggie mixture. Mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.

Step 9

At this point, you can go ahead and bake, uncovered, in a 350°F oven for about 25-30 minutes. Let rest about 5 minutes before serving.

Step 10

Or, you can refrigerate and bake the next day. You’ll just need to increase the cooking time by about ten minutes to accommodate for the ingredients being chilled.