Recipe: Healthier Chicken and Rice Casserole

What would some of our favorite comfort food classics looks like if we asked a nutritionist to give them a makeover? In this series of recipes, you see how smart choices around vegetables, meats, and cheese make for a lighter, more nutritious take on everything from mac and cheese to meatloaf without ever compromising the flavor.

Chicken and rice was made for busy weeknights and picky eaters. I would know all about this because growing up I had about five foods I would actually touch. Casseroles were my mom’s expert way of getting me to try more foods without me knowing.

While chicken and rice is traditionally just chicken and rice, this dish boosts up the vegetables but also eliminates the canned cream soups for a quick homemade version.

The classic dish relies heavily on white rice, but this makeover recipe replaces the white rice with a combination of brown and cauliflower rice. This not only increases the vegetable servings but also adds in more fiber to help keep you full for longer.

Cauliflower rice mimics the brown rice perfectly in this casserole. It’s difficult to even determine where the rice ends and the veggies begin. The kids will never know there are over three cups of vegetables waiting for them in this meal!

Making your own cream-based sauce is actually quite easy, and adding a touch of Greek yogurt at the end instead of heavy cream will save you excess saturated fat and calories. Throwing a handful of sautéed mushrooms into the thickened sauce gives all those familiar cream-of-mushroom vibes without all of the excess sodium and preservatives. The Greek yogurt gives a slight tanginess similar to sour cream and adds yet another great flavor to the dish.

To finish, a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese gives this chicken and rice dish a boost of flavor and richness. Do us all a favor and send us an invite when this recipe hits your dinner table.