About
Ultimate Southwestern Bake is soon to be your family's most requested casserole! Layers of fluffy white rice and savory chicken breast are smothered in a spicy, Tex-Mex-inspired cream sauce with loads of melted Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses for a sky's-the-limit kind of taste! Ultimate Southwestern Bake is wonderful with your favorite salad or tortilla chips. This is a family-friendly, far-from-basic bake! It's ultimately the best there is!
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups white rice
- 2 2/3 cups water, plus more, to taste
- 4 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups mild salsa
Directions
Step 1 -In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the white rice and 2 2/3 cups of the water and bring the mixture to a bowl.
Step 2 -Reduce the stovetop heat to low.
Step 3 -Cover the saucepan and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Step 4 -In a separate large saucepan, add the chicken breast halves and enough of the extra water to fill the pan.
Step 5 -Bring the water to a boil and cook until the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 20 minutes.
Step 6 -Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board to cool. Discard the chicken cooking water or reserve it for a separate use.
Step 7 -When the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle safely, cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Step 8 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 9 -Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Step 10 -In a medium bowl, add the Monterey Jack cheese and the cheddar cheese and lightly stir to combine.
Step 11 -In a separate medium bowl, add the cream of chicken soup, the cream of mushroom soup, the onions, and the salsa and stir to combine.
Step 12 -In the prepared baking dish, layer 1/2 of the rice, 1/2 of the chicken pieces, 1/2 of the soup mixture, and 1/2 of the cheese mixture, in that order.
Step 13 -Repeat the layers, ending with the cheese mixture.
Step 14 -Bake the casserole until bubbly, about 40 minutes.
Step 15 -Serve.
