Chicken, Black Rice and Bush’s Pinto Bean Casserole

One of the things I love, when my kids are either home from college or they’re inviting their friends over, is to reach into my pantry and have all the ingredients that I need for a yummy meal.

A few weekends when we headed out for spring break to NYC, I made a double recipe casserole for my son and his friends. I knew the leftovers would be consumed in no time.

I do keep my pantry stocked with go-to staples for when I’m in a pinch with a dinner recipe, always with varieties of Bush’s Beans, rice and quinoa.

This time I knew I had everything I needed in my pantry: chicken stock, rice, quinoa, beans, salsa, and corn chile.

In my fridge I had a big tub of sour cream, cheese (I always keep cheese frozen in Ziploc bags so I never run out), milk, and a rotisserie chicken that I had purchased a few nights before.

I was set.

Double the recipe.

Feed it to the fam.

By the way, I often combine my rice and quinoa in the rice cooker.

Easy as can be!

My formula for my rice cooker is to every cup of rice or quinoa, I add 1.5 cups of water (or broth).

Which items do you keep stocked in your pantry for last-minute meals?

Recipe: Chicken, Black Rice and Bush’s Pinto Bean Casserole {ReluctantEntertainer.com}

Summary: Easy pantry recipe to add rotisserie chicken to.

Ingredients:

3 cups black rice (or quinoa/rice mixed)
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 jar corn chile (I use Trader Joe’s brand) (optional)
2 cans (15 oz) Bush’s Pinto Beans, rinsed
2 cups salsa
2 cups sour cream
1 Rotisserie chicken, pulled and chopped
3 cups cheese (Mexican blend)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To prepare the rice (or quinoa mixture), cook ahead of time in a rice cooker (or on the stove, but you may need less chicken stock).
Mix the chicken, cooked rice (quinoa), 2 cans of drained beans, and 1 jar of Corn Chile together in a bowl. Add in the salsa.
Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Add the chicken bean mixture.
Spread 2 cups of sour cream on top of the chicken bean mixture. Top with 3 cups of Mexican-blend cheese.
Spray and place one side of 9×13 piece of foil with cooking spray to prevent cheese from sticking; cover the casserole and bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover the casserole and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve.

Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8

Originally posted on Reluctant Entertainer.