Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake (Southwest casserole)

Being pregnant and all, I have been experiencing extreme cravings for all things Southwest or Mexican. Today I whipped up some awesome Shredded Beef in my crock pot. I have plans to make Navajo tacos with that tomorrow. (recipes for those to come soon ;D) But because I was in the cooking mood today, I also threw together this amazing dish! To tell you the truth I have been looking for this recipe for quite some time now- ever sinse I had the T.V. dinner version of it and vowed I would learn to make it. I finally fell upon it via pinterest and just had to acquire all the ingredients this week to MAKE IT!

Never mind that my little guys don't like things mixed into their rice. Never mind that the hubbs dislikes beans of any kind. This was all about ME today.( Me and that unborn child making me have these crazy cravings) I love both seasoned rice and black beans- especially mixed with cheese and chicken! Oh. Mark my words, this will become a staple for me from here on out. And you! YOU need this in your life too, I promise you! So I made this today, and promptly ate some to satisfy that prego craving (It was divine.), then divided up the rest and froze it for quick lunches for myself this coming month. I'm so excited! Are you ready now to get your hands on this recipe? Well good. Here it is! (Pictures will come soon. I was too busy eating it to take pics today!)

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake
from: HowSweetEats

2 whole Boneless, Skinless chicken Breasts (preferably cooked ahead)
4 cups Cooked brown rice (I used Zatarain's Spanish Rice with diced tomatoes mixed in and LOVED the outcome! I also hear Uncle Ben's Ready Rice is convenient and successful.)
3/4 cups Frozen corn
15 oz. canned black beans drained and rinsed
1 cup plain Greek Yogurt or sour cream
4 oz. green chilies or Salsa Verde (green)
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup Low-fat Cheddar or Colby jack cheese plus more for topping
2 Tb. fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for cilantro and mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure the yogurt and cheese are stirred in throughout the entire bowl. Transfer to an oven safe dish (deep covered baker from pampered chef works well). Bake for 20-25 minutes until heated through. (You can also do it in the microwave IF your chicken is already cooked. I did this and it worked fabulously.) If you cook the chicken ahead of time, the process will be faster whichever cooking method you choose to use.

This is a wonderful dish to be made ahead of time and then reheated- which makes it a great freezer meal idea. I hope you take the time to try this! I am so glad I did!!! Enjoy!