Green Rice with Chicken

I got the idea for this recipe in college from my

FAVORITE dish served in the dining hall...

Green Rice!

After college, I made up a recipe trying

to match it, and added chicken to

make it a full meal.

You can make it without the chicken

and serve it as a side dish.

The kiddies won't even know they're getting

a good dose of spinach.

It's easy and DELICIOUS!

Green Rice with Chicken

3 boneless chicken breasts

2 boxes Rice-a-Roni Chicken flavor

1 box frozen chopped spinach (Don't get the 'leaf' spinach)

1 tsp. minced garlic in the jar

2-3 cups sharp cheddar (or regular cheddar if you prefer)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Spray a 9 X13 inch glass pan with cooking spray

and set aside.

Prepare the Rice-a-Roni according to package

directions. It takes 20 minutes to cook

on the stove top.

While rice is cooking, prepare the

chopped spinach.

Place frozen spinach in a covered

microwave safe bowl and microwave

for seven minutes on high.

Cut chicken breasts

into bite-sized pieces.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a dutch oven pan

over med/high heat.

Saute the chicken until cooked through

When spinach is done, press

out excess water and set aside.

When chicken is cooked through,

add the minced garlic and cook

an additional minute.

Remove the chicken from the stove and

season it with salt and pepper to taste.

When rice is done,

stir it in with the seasoned chicken.

Mix in the chopped spinach.

Spread this mixture into the

prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle the top generously with the

cheddar cheese and bake in

the oven until cheese is melted.

(about ten minutes.)

My kids have loved this dinner since

they were little.  I like that it has

all the food groups in one

easy, cheesy dish!