Italian Chicken & Bacon Rice Bake

What is not to like about this bowl of comforting flavour? It’s such a simple meal that is easy to eat if your feeling a little delicate or under the weather. It’s also easy to make, as once everything is added in to the casserole and placed in the oven, you can walk away and leave it to cook. Leaving you with more time to get your feet up and recover. If you don’t have a casserole pan big enough then make it on the hob. Just cover the pan with a lid and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. This is better if you are short on time, or really hungry, as you don’t have to wait so long for it to cook. Often when you have raced a big race like the World Championships your stomach feels very delicate and you don’t have much of an appetite. You also know that you need to get food in to your body to allow it to recover, especially if you have to race again the next day. This kind of meal is great for that. 

Print Recipe

Italian Chicken & Bacon Rice Bake

Keyword

Bacon, Chicken, Mushroom, Pepper, Rice, Tomatoes

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 onion
• 1 chilli optional
• 1 tbsp dried Italian mixed herbs
• 4 rashers bacon
• 1 skinless boneless chicken breast
• 1 pepper
• 1 tin tomatoes
• 1/2 pack mushrooms approx 125g
• 300 ml chicken stock
• 125 g basmati rice

Keyword Bacon, Chicken, Mushroom, Pepper, Rice, Tomatoes Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 40 minutes Servings people Ingredients 1 tsp olive oil 1 clove garlic 1 onion 1 chilli optional 1 tbsp dried Italian mixed herbs 4 rashers bacon 1 skinless boneless chicken breast 1 pepper 1 tin tomatoes 1/2 pack mushrooms approx 125g 300 ml chicken stock 125 g basmati rice

Instructions

To prepare:

1. Peel and dice the onion, thinly slice the chilli if using and peel and crush the garlic.
2. Add them to an oven proof lidded casserole dish with the olive oil.
3. Trim the bacon of any fat and slice it in to thin strips.
4. Slice the pepper in to bite size pieces.
5. Weigh out the rice and make up the chicken stock.

To cook:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
2. Heat the casserole dish over a medium heat and fry the contents for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add in the bacon and keep frying.
4. Thinly slice the chicken breast.
5. Sprinkle in the dried herbs, then add in the chicken strips and stir.
6. After another minute or so add the sliced pepper and keep frying for 1 more minute.
7. Pour in the tomatoes and chicken stock and mix well.
8. Now slice up the mushrooms and add them in to the dish with the rice.
9. Cover the dish with its lid and place on the top shelf of the oven. Leave to bake for 30 minutes.
10. Before serving give it a good stir and check that the rice is cooked. If it isn’t quite ready return the dish to the oven for another 5 minutes.

Recipe Notes

If you make this, let me know how it goes and share your photos.  I’d also love to hear how you adapt it to suit yourself.