Super Yummy in Your Tummy Cheesy Spinach Rice Dish

My toddler and I love this quick, easy and nutritious meal. I hope you do too! All measurements are approximate and feel free to switch out the veggies for your favorites.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 -2  chicken breast, cubed
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped onion
• 4 -5  garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 cup  petite  baby carrots
• 5  ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1⁄3 cup rice
• 2⁄3 cup water
• 1 (10 1/2ounce) can  cream of chicken soup
• 1⁄4 cup milk
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄2 cup  grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup  grated mozzarella cheese, divided
•  salt
•  pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Sauté the chicken in butter until it is white but not yet browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add onions and garlic and continue to sauté until chicken has browned a bit. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add drained spinach (I use my fist to squeeze all the moisture out before adding) and petite baby carrots. If you don't have these on hand, just quarter regular baby carrots lengthwise. Cook for a few minutes just to get the carrots heated through and the cooking process started. They will soften in the oven.
5. In 8x8-inch baking dish, combine rice, water, soup, milk, seasonings, 1/4 cup grated parmesan and 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated mozzarella.
6. Add spinach and veggies.
7. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 25-60 minutes (25 for cooked rice or minute rice, 45ish for uncooked long grain or arborio white, 60 for uncooked brown or "health blend" - a white and brown mix) until cheese has browned and soup mixture is bubbly.
8. I let mine cool first so that it is just the right temperature for my little boy. By that time, it has set up and is no longer runny.
9. Note: This recipe is very versatile. I started to make it the other night and realized I didn't have parmesan or mozzarella cheeses or cream of chicken soup, so I used colby jack and cream of celery soup. It was wonderful and my little boy ate twice as much as usual for dinner that night and lunch the following day. He had it again for dinner last night wrapped in a tortilla like a burrito! It was gone before we were tired of eating it! Also, you can "eyeball" the ingredients and it will still turn out perfectly ;).