Make It Monday: Skillet Cheesy Chicken with Rice

It's Make-It-Monday with a spoonful of goodness that light and hardy at the same time.

In these busy times, one-skillet dishes are the way to go, and this cheesy dish is a family-favorite! Plus, the kids will want to eat their veggies, because they're hidden, tucked into a flavorful, creamy sauce.

No lean protein is more respected than the boneless, skinless chicken breast that has consistently been at the top of the to-eat list for fat loss. Half of a chicken breast has just 142 calories and just 3 grams of fat, and there are no carbs, sugar or fiber but there are 27 grams of protein.

You don't want to buy chicken breast halves with the bone and skin removed that weigh more than 8 or 9 ounces. Very large breasts come from stewing hens, and they'll never get tender unless they're cooked in liquid.

There are two basic methods for cooking: dry heat and moist heat. Dry heat methods include baking, roasting, grilling, sauteing, deep frying. Moist heat methods include microwaving, poaching, baking in parchment, steaming, and slow cooking.

Grilled chicken breasts cook in 8-10 minutes, while poached breasts cook in about 15 minutes. When cooking with dry heat, pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness so they'll cook evenly.

Campbell's Skillet Cheesy Chicken with Rice Recipe
Serves 4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
(or Campbell’s® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked cooked long grain white rice
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, green beans, corn, peas)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Stir the soup, water, onion powder, black pepper and rice in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time.

Stir in the vegetables. Return the chicken to the skillet. Sprinkle with the cheese. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. Do not overcook or the meat will be dry. Use your meat thermometer to test the done temperature for chicken.

Nutritional Information (amount per serving)
Calories 500; Carbohydrates 50g; Cholesterol 110mg; Fiber 5g; Sodium 690mg; Fat 14g; Protein 41g

* Source: Campbell's Kitchen, Fat Burning Furnace, Busy Cooks

Cholesterol is an essential substance for the body's normal function, but when cholesterol levels in the blood get too high, it becomes a silent killer that puts the body at risk for heart attack. There are two types of cholesterol. Good (HDL) and Bad (LDL). You want to know your limit before you eat another bite of food.