5.29.2012

Cheesy Chicken, Rice, & Bacon Skillet

Original Recipe HERE

This meal.  So easy.  So good.  So horrific for you.  It fits two out of my three requirements for feeding my family a food: is it easy? is it tasty? is it healthy?  So it'll be a comfort dish that we'll only indulge in on occasion.  I didn't bother trying to healthify it in the least, though I guess you could give it a whirl with reduced sodium bacon and broth, low-fat cheese, less butter, brown rice, and mix in some broccoli.  But everyone in attendance ate at least one bowl, so I'm inclined to keep the recipe as-is.

I left out the hot sauce from the original recipe because my kids don't like anything with heat.  And I used a mix of cheddar, monterey jack, and colby in the sauce because I don't always like how cheddar melts - and recongeals.  I also skipped the broiler step and it tasted just fine with my stirring-it-all-together method.

Ingredients
1/2 lb bacon [I used 12 strips]
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 onion, diced
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
4 cups cooked white rice [I used quick-cooking]

Directions
(1) Cook bacon in a large, deep skillet.  Drain; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings.
(2) Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth and bubbly.
(3) Whisk in broth. Increase heat to high, whisking sauce until thickened.
(4) Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese until melted and sauce is smooth.  Remove from heat.
(5) Reduce heat to a simmer.  Add reserved bacon drippings back to large skillet.  Sautee onion until just tender.
(6) Add cooked rice; cook, stirring occasionally, until coated and slightly crispy.
(7) Meanwhile, crumble bacon.
(8) Add chicken, bacon, and cheese sauce; stir until well combined.  Serve immediately.

Kid Participation: None.

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