Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

I love an easy casserole on busy weeknights. And this one is no exception. Originally from Campbell’s, I revamped it to be a lot healthier and have much less sodium than the original recipe. As you know, this year one of my goals is to go even healthier than last. Making foods from scratch so there are less preservatives, additives, sodium and dyes that your body doesn’t really need, right?

For instance, in Campbell’s Reduced Fat Cream of Chicken soup that the original recipe calls for, you’ve got 870 mg of sodium in one can! Ouch.

Here is the revamped version. It’s still just as delicious but with less fat and sodium than the original recipe and much healthier ingredients:

CHEESE, CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE

1 can homemade cream of chicken soup mix (click on link here, and scroll to the bottom of the page for the mix recipe)

1 1/2 cup water

1 cup brown rice

2 cups mixed vegetables (use organic if using frozen, or freshly chopped if possible)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed

1/2 cup 2% cheddar cheese, shredded

In a 9×13 inch pan, combine the cream of chicken soup, rice, water, and mixed vegetables. Lay the chicken pieces in the pan evenly. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle cheese evenly over the chicken pieces and bake an additional five minutes or until cheese has melted.

Remove from oven and serve.

Makes 4 servings.