Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

I have been on a mission to start shopping smarter and cooking more in an effort to save money.  I have found the key component to this is having a well stocked pantry.  I'm still working on perfecting this but in the mean time I've found a delicious and easy recipe that you can throw together if you are in a rush, if you are home from a long day of work and don't feel like spending all night in the kitchen or if you simply want something yummy for dinner. 

I made it all with items that I had on hand and keep my pantry stocked with.  If you want to add some freshness to this warm, gooey dish I would recommend adding diced tomatoes or avocado slices at the end along with the scallions.  Cilantro would be nice too, if you're into that sorta thing! ;)

Ingredients

• 2 tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (or Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs or even a Rotisserie Chicken)
• Chili Powder, to taste
• Cumin, to taste
• Garlic Powder, to taste
• 4 cups Cooked Brown Rice
• ¾ cups Frozen Corn
• 15 ounces, fluid Can Black Beans, Drained And Rinsed
• 1 cup Cream Cheese, room temp
• 4 ounces, fluid Can Green Chilli's
• ½ cups Salsa
• 1 cup Low-fat Cheddar Cheese, Plus More For Topping
• 2 Tablespoons Scallions for Garnish

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large skillet, heat the oil.  Season your chicken with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder to taste.  Place in the skillet and cook on each side until there is a nice crust and it is cooked through.  Place on a separate plate and allow it to cool.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for scallions and mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure the cream cheese and cheddar cheese are stirred in throughout the entire bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Use two forks or your hands to shred the chicken and combine it into the rest of the mixture.  Transfer to an oven-safe dish and top with extra cheese if you would like. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish with chopped scallions.

Having cooked chicken on hand definitely makes this process easier.  You can also use Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice. If you have those two things, this can be thrown together in a matter of minutes! The other great thing about this dish is that you can make it more complicated if you want to.  Add onions to the skillet after browning the chicken, after they are brown and caramelized add chipotles in adobo followed by chicken stock.  Let it simmer and reduce almost completely before adding it into the bowl with everything else.  Dress it up or dress it down, either way it is yummy!  It can also easily be made ahead of time and reheated.SOURCE
Adapted from How Sweet It Is