High-Protein Creamy Cajun Chicken and Rice Bake

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (Diced)
• 1.5 cup uncooked white rice
• 3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 red bell pepper (Diced)
• 1 yellow bell pepper (Diced)
• 0.5 yellow onion (Diced)
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (Plus more for serving if desired)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella
• 0.5 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar
• green onions (For topping)
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (For the homemade cream sauce)
• 0.5 cup reduced-fat cream cheese (For the homemade cream sauce)
• nonstick cooking spray (For lightly coating the baking dish)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. 2

   Add the low-fat cottage cheese and reduced-fat cream cheese to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides if necessary.

3. 3

   Add the uncooked white rice, chicken broth, blended cream sauce, diced red and yellow bell peppers, diced onion, minced garlic, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to the prepared baking dish. Stir thoroughly so the rice and seasonings are evenly distributed.

4. 4

   Add the diced chicken breast to the baking dish. Stir until the chicken is evenly distributed throughout the rice mixture and is submerged as much as possible in the liquid.

5. 5

   Bake uncovered for 50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.

6. 6

   Carefully remove the dish from the oven and stir everything together. Check the rice; if it is still firm, cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for an additional 5–10 minutes, until the rice is tender.

7. 7

   Once the rice is tender, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and cheddar evenly over the casserole.

8. 8

   Return the dish to the oven uncovered and bake for 4–5 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted.

9. 9

   Top with green onions. Add extra Cajun seasoning or hot sauce, if desired, and serve hot.

Notes

The source lists approximately 535 calories, 51 g protein, 49 g carbohydrates, and 12 g fat per serving. If the rice remains firm after the initial bake, cover the dish before the additional baking time to retain moisture. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat until steaming hot.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• casserole
• baked
• high-protein
• meal-prep
• Cajun-inspired
• chicken
• rice