Chicken Zucchini Casserole

2/3 cup brown rice
1 cup vegetable broth (chicken broth also will work)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup diced onion
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
2 cooked skinless boneless chicken breast halves, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
salt to taste
ground cayenne pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers, drained
1-2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese-depending on how much cheese you like (Swiss cheese and Monterey Jack cheese would also work well!)

Mix the rice and vegetable broth in a pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, or until rice is tender.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large 9x13" casserole dish.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion until tender. Mix in the zucchini, chicken, and mushrooms. Season with cumin, salt, and ground cayenne pepper. Cook and stir until zucchini is lightly browned and chicken is heated through.
In large bowl, mix the cooked rice, onion, zucchini, chicken, mushrooms, beans, chiles, and 1/2 the cheese. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Cover casserole loosely with foil, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Uncover, and continue baking 10 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Serving Size: Makes 4 servings

Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user CHRISTINE798.