Chicken, Zucchini & Rice Casserole
Bringing together chicken, zucchini, and rice, this hearty dish is perfect for a family or group meal, or just for leftovers! A lemon, honey, and olive oil marinade creates a bright yet rich flavor. Rice cooked in chicken stock and cream adds depth, while a cheese topping gives it a melty texture that finishes off a great summer dish.
Servings 8 servings
Calories 576kcal
Ingredients
For the marinade
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp honey
For the casserole
- 1 lb (about 2 large) chicken breast
- 1 ½ lb (about 1-2 medium) zucchini
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups uncooked jasmine rice
- 1 ¼ cups chicken stock
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
For the marinade
- In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, kosher salt, and honey. Mix to combine.
- Cut the chicken into roughly ½-inch cubes. Add the cubed chicken to the marinade and stir to evenly coat all of the chicken. Cover and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
For the casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the zucchini by slicing them in half crosswise, then in half lengthwise. Chop each piece into ½-inch thick pieces and set them aside.
- Once the chicken is marinated, heat an oven-safe 12-inch skillet or brasier over medium heat. Add the chicken and discard the remaining marinade. Sauté the chicken until it is browned and cooked, reaching 160°F, 6-8 minutes. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- Add the prepared zucchini to the hot skillet. Sauté the zucchini until it begins to brown, 4-6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and thyme leaves. Stir and remove the dish from the heat.
- To the skillet or brasier, pour in the chicken and rice and evenly incorporate. In a separate bowl, combine the chicken stock, sour cream, and heavy cream. Whisk until smooth and pour over the rice. Stir the casserole together and season with salt. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and Monterey jack cheese. Cover the skillet with foil or a lid and place in the preheated oven. Bake until the rice is tender, 40-45 minutes. Once the rice is tender, remove the lid and bake until the cheese is browned, 5 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and serve.
Notes
- Leave any extra marinade in the pan after cooking the chicken. The zucchini will soak it up while it cooks, adding extra flavor to the dish.
- If you have a large zucchini, scoop out any of the interior seeds. This interior can be somewhat watery and contain excess moisture that would seep out into the casserole, which is not desirable.
- Wait to add in the garlic and fresh thyme until the zucchini is nearly done cooking. Otherwise, the garlic can quickly be overcooked and tend to burn, creating a bitter taste. It just needs about 30 seconds to 1 minute to be mixed in and warmed.
- Make sure to add any residual juices from the chicken that were collected on the bottom of the plate while the chicken was resting. This is an immense flavor and will be ideal in the casserole.
- Broil the dish for a few minutes at the end of baking in the oven to help melt the cheese and achieve a golden-brown crust on top.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 576kcal
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