Mojito Lime Cilantro Chicken and Rice
Make this for those busy weeks when having leftovers is a must. Remember that this will make TWO 9x13 inch pans. Thanks, 4 Little Fergusons, for this great recipe idea (note some of the changes I made)!
Servings: 2 9x13 Pans
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds boneless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces (Find pastured chicken here if you don't have a good local source)
Marinade for chicken:
- 3/4 cup olive oil or avocado oil Did you know most olive oil at the store is fake and cut with cheap vegetable oils? Read more here: Olive Oil Comparison and the Olive Oil Mafia — Be Aware of the Extensive Lies and Corruption
- 2 limes, zested and juiced (you'll need more limes below)
- 3 teaspoons palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Small handful fresh mint chopped, optional
- 2 big cloves of garlic minced or 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 onion chopped or 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Rice layer:
- 4 cups of your favorite rice uncooked
- 6 cups homemade stock Most store-bought has MSG, but this one works in a pinch
- 1 Tablespoon sea salt
- 3 Tablespoons butter pastured butter is best
- 1-2 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
- Pepper to your taste
Cilantro lime ranch dressing layer:
- 4 cups sour cream
- 2 limes Zested and juiced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups of your favorite store-bought salsa or make your own!
- 3 cups shredded cheese
Instructions
- Marinate chicken overnight or even just for a couple of hours. If you don't have time it'll still be delicious--I just stir fry the marinade ingredients (not the mint) with the chicken in a pan on medium heat and break it up into bite-sized pieces as it cooks.
- Prepare rice (according to the directions, depending on the rice you're using) with the broth and butter. Once it's cooked add the cilantro, salt and pepper and fluff it up.
- Next mix up all the ingredients for the homemade cilantro lime ranch dressing. Taste-test to see if you want more of any of the seasonings to make it dreamy.
Start assembling ingredients in two buttered 9×13 pans:
- Rice on the bottom.
- Place chicken pieces around the top evenly.
- Drizzle/spread around the homemade cilantro lime ranch dressing -- poke holes with a knife down into the rice so the sauce goes down in there a little.
- Dollop salsa around the top.
- Spread cheese around evenly.
- Bake at 350* for 30 minutes or just 'til hot all the way through. If you're freezing one, I used toothpicks to keep the wrap on top from sticking to the cheese. Later when you pull it out to eat it, first let thaw overnight in the fridge, and then bake at 350* for 30 minutes.