A veritable cornucopia of fresh vegetables in your summer garden should get your taste buds watering. It means it’s time to whip up a Summer Veggie & Chicken Bake. Juicy zucchini and sweet tomatoes are baked with nutty brown rice and savory chicken for a sunny supper that comes together in just one hour. Cheesy, fragrant, and filled with bright corn kernels, the Summer Veggie & Chicken Bake really is the edible spirit of the season!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated, divided
- 2 eggs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper, plus more, to taste
- 2 cups brown rice, cooked
- 1/2 onion, finely diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, shredded on the large holes of a cheese grater
- 1 large ear of corn, kernels cut from the cob, or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned, divided
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish or pie pan with nonstick spray.
Step 3 –In a large bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, the Monterey Jack cheese, 1/4 cup of the parmesan, the eggs, the garlic, the dried basil, the mustard, the onion powder, the garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of the pepper.
Step 4 –Add the rice, the onions, the tomatoes, the zucchini, the corn, the chicken, and 1/2 of the fresh basil, stirring well to combine.
Step 5 –Season with the extra salt and the extra pepper, as needed.
Step 6 –Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared dish, using a spatula to smooth the top.
Step 7 –Sprinkle the top with the remaining parmesan.
Step 8 –Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
Step 9 –Bake for 35 minutes.
Step 10 –Remove the foil and bake until the cheese turns golden-brown, about 15 minutes.
Step 11 –Allow the casserole to cool for 15 minutes.
Step 12 –Serve garnished with the remaining fresh basil.
