WW - Mexican Style Brown Rice Casserole

Name: WW - Mexican Style Brown Rice Casserole
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Mexican, Latin American, American
Ingredients: 4 cups cooked brown rice; 1 1/4 cup salsa; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 15 oz can refried beans; 10 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed; 4 oz green chili pepper canned mild diced; 1 tsp chili powder; 10 oz frozen spinach, chopped, thawed; 3/4 cup Mexican cheese shredded low fat; 2 tbsp cilantro; 1 lb chicken cooked shredded

6 steps

Prep:30minCook:30min

This easy, cheesy layered casserole packs an abundance of Mexican-inspired flavors. Smart and almost imperceptible substitutes like brown rice and reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese keep this casserole on the lighter side without sacrificing flavor. This also provides another use for leftover brown rice, which works well in this application. Like a burrito in a bowl, this dish is great for gatherings but easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Serve a big salad on the side to complete a meal. If you have leftovers, this casserole can make a great filling for tacos or burritos, especially if you top it with a dollop of salsa or slices of avocado.

Updated at: Wed, 16 Aug 2023 18:41:39 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

High

Nutrition per serving

Calories657.8 kcal (33%)

Total Fat23 g (33%)

Carbs82.4 g (32%)

Sugars7.1 g (8%)

Protein34.6 g (69%)

Sodium1296.2 mg (65%)

Fiber13 g (46%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

4 servings

4 cupsbrown rice

cooked

1 ¼ cupsalsa

1 tspground cumin

1 x 15 ozcan refried beans

10 ozfrozen corn kernels

thawed

4 ozgreen chili pepper

canned, mild diced

1 tspchili powder

10 ozfrozen spinach

chopped, thawed

¾ cupmexican cheese

shredded low fat

2 Tbspcilantro

1 lbchicken

cooked shredded

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a 2-quart rectangular, round, or oval baking dish with cooking spray

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine rice, salsa, and cumin. Spoon 2 cups of rice mixture into prepared baking dish and spread out to evenly cover bottom of dish.

Step 3

In another large bowl, combine refried beans, corn, chili peppers, and chili power. Using a rubber spatula, scrape bean mixture on top of rice layer and smooth out top.

Step 4

Squeeze out any excess water from spinach or collard greens and then spread on top of bean layer; sprinkle with 6 Tbsp cheese. Top with remaining rice mixture and smooth out top; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Step 5

Place casserole on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage. Bake until heated through and cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro (if desired), cut into 6 pieces and serve.

Step 6

Serving size: 1 piece