Easy Mediterranean Chicken and Spinach Rice Bake

Family Style Gluten-Free...

Looking for weeknight supper ideas? This super simple toss-together recipe is budget-friendly and versatile. If you don't have chicken on hand try using pieces of cooked turkey or your favorite sausage.

Vegetarian? Use a can of white or black beans instead. The Mediterranean and Santa Fe- thanks to the fresh and unexpected spike from tomatillos- flavors in this fabulous recipe cozy up to a parade of proteins.

A family favorite from the archives, this is easy comfort food to bake and savor before the fall begins its alchemy, spinning green into gold.

Karina's Mediterranean Chicken and Spinach Rice Bake Recipe

Recipe posted August 2009.

You'll love the combo of tomatillos and spinach. The citrus zing of the tomatillos adds a definite zip to the usual greens.

Ingredients:

1 2-lb bag frozen chopped spinach
2-3 tomatillos, cored, chopped
3 large ripe plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt
Gluten-free Lemon Pepper seasoning
4-6 oz. marinated mozzarella, sliced
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
3 large boneless split chicken breasts
Olive oil, as needed
2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced
Balsamic vinegar, as needed
2 cups cooked brown rice or brown basmati rice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Thaw the spinach a bit (and pat dry if necessary) so you can scatter half of it in the bottom of a large baking dish. Sprinkle half of the tomatillos, tomatoes and garlic on top. Season with sea salt and lemon pepper. Scatter half the cheeses.

In the meantime, heat up a large skillet and brown the chicken breasts in a little olive oil. Season with sea salt and Lemon Pepper.

Remove the chicken from the pan and cut it into bite-size pieces.

Saute the portobello slices in a little olive oil and good splash of balsamic vinegar, till tender.

Add the cooked chicken and the portobellos to the spinach mixture. Spoon on the rice. Top with the remaining spinach, tomatillos, tomatoes and garlic. Add the remaining sliced mozzarella and goat cheese. Put the pan in the oven. Bake until done, about 25 to 30 minutes, till heated through.

Light a few candles and gather for a feast. This will serve six.

Savor slowly.