Spanish Chicken & Rice

This is a recipe that I found in one of those cookbook's that you buy at the checkout counter. I've made a few changes based on our tastes. The recipe as written calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts, but I usually use boneless skinless chicken thighs as prefer them over chicken breast. If you sub regular rice for the brown rice, you will need to adjust your cooking time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 4  boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
• 2⁄3 cup long grain brown rice
• 1 1⁄2 cups fat free chicken broth
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1  teaspoon cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1  medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1⁄2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded (2 ounces)

Directions

1. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat.
2. Cook chicken in oil 8 - 10 minutes, turning once, until light brown.
3. Drain fat from skillet.
4. Stir remaining ingredients except cheese into skillet with chicken.
5. Heat to boiling; reduce heat.
6. Cover and simmer 50 - 55 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender.
7. Sprinkle with cheese.