I might be the only weirdo who does this, but when it comes to “one-pot” meals, I almost NEVER actually cook them in one pot. Especially if they involve pasta or rice. That is my biggest weakness, I can never seem to achieve the correct consistency for the rice or pasta when they’re mixed with other ingredients. They always come out either too mushy or way too undercooked. If anyone has perfected the art of one-pot meals with flawlessly cooked rice or pasta, please give me a holler! I’m all ears. 👂

In the meantime, I’m going to continue putting my own spin on these types of meals by cooking the pasta or rice separately and mixing them with the rest of the ingredients last. That’s exactly what I did with this Cheesy Chicken & Rice recipe. It was a lot less hassle and the final dish had great consistency with perfectly cooked rice! No mushy messes here, thank goodness. 😉

As usual, with all my recipes that include chicken, I like to include a little “how-to” list on baking the perfect chicken breasts. Following these steps has helped me tremendously in ensuring I get juicy, tender results every time. For those who’d like to give it a try, here’s my simple list of instructions below:

1. Brine the chicken breasts for 15 minutes by submerging them in cold water with 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Drain the chicken breasts and pat them dry with paper towels.
4. Rub each chicken breast with olive oil. Then sprinkle with a mixture of garlic salt, black pepper, paprika and onion powder.
5. Place chicken breasts side by side in a baking dish. Bake for about 35 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let rest about 5-10 minutes before slicing.

I mentioned earlier that I cook the rice separately from the rest of the ingredients, but I also want to take a minute to commend my trusted Rice Cooker. I seriously don’t understand how anyone can make rice without a rice cooker. It has been an absolute life saver for me. My rice ALWAYS comes out perfect. I definitely commend those chefs out there who have the patience and skill for making perfectly cooked rice on the stovetop. But a rice cooker just makes things so much easier by removing the water-to-rice-ratio guesswork. I love not having to worry about ruining a whole batch of rice due to incorrect water measurements. So yes, I highly recommend everyone get a rice cooker and give yourself some peace of mind. 😊

I was quite happy with how this dish turned out. It was hearty, healthy and filling! Best of all, my kids (age 1 and 2) actually wanted to eat it too. You know how picky those toddlers can be. I think the cheese had something to do with them liking it so much. I felt great knowing they were getting their servings of vegetables and protein all in one bowl. I hope you guys will give it a try! It’s a meal the whole family will enjoy. 😁 🍗 🍚 🧀

PREP TIME: 35 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes
SERVES: 6 people

Get the full Cheesy Chicken & Rice recipe on my website here! 🍗 🍚 🧀

And be sure to follow me on Steemit @eyesclosedcookin