Papa B's Chicken Bake

This meal is a for sure sign of spring and summer. Growing up, my dad used to make this for my family. Reminiscent of warm summer nights and s'more stuffed campfires in the backyard, this is a true crowd pleaser. Even now, going back home when I can, I ask my dad to make this for me.

Looks good, right?!

Hearty, simple, and tasty, I had to try it for myself. It was extremely inexpensive to make- about $10 maximum. Granted, it took a little experimentation, but it was a home run! This was the first time I tried to make it independently, but it was *very* close to my dad's.

My favorite part of chicken bake is the rice. It absorbs the broth and the spices, making the perfect base grain. Not to mention, all of the broth softens the starches in the rice, making it super tender. Fun fact- since this dish has a short bake time in comparison to other (rice) dishes, the rice is able to hold more flavor! The property in rice responsible for this is called Acetylpyrroline. It's what gives rice its aroma. So in short, long cook time, bland rice. Short cook time, tasty rice. Neat, right?!

Rice and veg simmering in the broth- is your mouth watering yet or is that just me?

One thing I really love about this dish is that it's extremely modifiable! Want to swap out some of my fav veggies for your favs? No problem! Want to take a different ethnic spin on it? Have at it! Quinoa over rice? You got it! The fact of the matter is that it is extremely versatile. It's a dinner that even the pickiest of eater's can't refuse!

Sauteed onions and my veg mix on top of rice post bake

Also, did I mention leftovers? I know I am always stuffed by the time I'm done eating, but so is my Corningware. Fret not! Chicken bake heats up really well for next day meals! I love taking my leftovers to work...it makes my coworkers jealous.

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Some key tips:

1. Make sure you have a Corningware dish that is big enough. That was probably my biggest mistake this go around, which is why I had to cook the chicken separately. Typically, the chicken is cooked in the oven with the rice, but hey, we all make mistakes, right?! I ended up cooking my chicken in a cast iron skillet with salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic powder before mixing into the rice and veg.

Chicken cubes!

2. Use low sodium chicken broth. You can always put in more salt, but never take it out (unless you evaporate it all, but that's a bit extra and scientific). It's also the healthier choice. Personally, from a family that needs to watch their sodium intake, I think it'll make you feel better in the long run!

3. To make it more luxurious, feel free to add butter or margarine to the dish! Again, I would recommend to use unsalted.

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Papa B's Chicken Bake

Serves ~4

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

- 1/4 cup onion, diced

- 1 bag of frozen vegetables, spring mix (corn, green beans, carrots...)

- 2 cups white rice

- 4 cups chicken broth

- 2 chicken breasts, cubed

- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Steps

1. In a medium to large Corningware, saute onions with olive oil and garlic powder until onions are tender. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Heat up chicken broth in microwave before adding to sauteed onions (about 4 minutes should do the trick, depending on the power of your microwave). Add to onions and bring to a boil.

3. Add vegetables and stir. Then add chicken and rice.

4. Cover and place in the oven for 25 minutes.

5. Remove from oven. Be careful, it's hot! Then enjoy!