Southwest Chicken Bean and Rice Casserole

A nice easy casserole. Serve with a dallop of light sour cream on top; if desired. Sometimes I add some corn to the chicken mixture.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3  cups cooked rice
• 1 -2  tablespoon butter
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 14 1⁄2 ounces diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion, undrained
• 2  cups  shredded cheddar cheese, DIVIDED
• 1  tablespoon  oil
• 1  cup  chopped sweet onion
• 5  cups  diced  cooked chicken
• 19  ounces  enchilada sauce
• 29  ounces black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon adobo seasoning
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1  tablespoon cilantro
• 2 3⁄4 ounces  sliced black olives (optional)
• 2  teaspoons cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a 13" x 9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter; add rice, salt and diced tomatoes w/ pepper/onion. Heat through and pour into bottom of prepared baking pan. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over top.
3. In same skillet, over med-high heat, sautee onion in the oil until translucent. Add diced cooked chicken, enchilada sauce, black beans, pepper, salt, adobo, cumin and 1 tbsp cilantro. Stir and heat through. Pour over top of mixture already in the baking pan.
4. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese over top. (then scatter optional sliced black olives over cheese, if using them). Sprinkle with 2 tsp cilantro.
5. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.