Cheesy Mex-inspired chicken schnitzel rice bake

Mex-tinged chicken schnitzel rice bake

Ingredients: 

Chicken schnitzel

• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1/2 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander and paprika (chilli powder to taste is optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Mexican spiced tomato sauce

• 1 tin crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander and paprika
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp sugar

Rice and vegetable mixture

• 3-6 cups cooked rice (cold or hot) (adjust this amount to suit your own rice to vegetable ratio)
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander (chopped)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 green capsicum (chopped) (Option: dice or slivers)
• 1 tin black or red beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 tin corn kernals (or 1 cup fresh from the cob)

Optional toppings

• 1-2 cups grated cheese (Adjust the amount of cheese to your liking)
• 1 cup sour cream or plain yoghurt
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander (chopped)
• tabasco sauce (to increase the the chilli factor)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F.

Make the chicken schnitzel

1. Halve each chicken breast lengthways then butterfly each piece.  To butterfly your chicken, slice the chicken down the middle lengthways but don't cut all the way through.  Open the piece of chicken like a book and flatten it with your hand. Aim to achieve an even thickness.  You'll now have four flat pieces of chicken breast.

2. Set up your crumbing station.  Mix spices, salt and pepper to flour in one dish.  Whisk eggs in another dish.  Place breadcrumbs in a third dish.

3. Crumb each piece of chicken by first dusting it in flour, then dipping it in the beaten egg and lastly, coating the chicken in crumbs.  

4. Fry the chicken in a well oiled fry pan at medium high heat until the crumbs are lightly golden.  The chicken does not need to be cooked through as everything will be baked in the oven.  Set the chicken aside.

Prepare the rice and vegetable mix

1. In a little oil on medium high heat, stir fry the onions and green capsicum until softened.

2. Transfer the capsicum and onion to a large casserole dish and add the cooked rice, corn, coriander and drained beans.  Mix until the vegetables are evenly distributed throughout the rice.  Set the dish aside.

Make the Mexi spiced tomato sauce

1. In the same fry pan, briefly roast the cumin, ground coriander and paprika until it is fragrant then add the tin of tomatoes and cocoa powder.  

2. Add a 1/4 cup water, sugar and simmer on medium high heat for ten minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Construct your Mexi chicken schnitzel rice bake

1. Pour an even layer of tomato sauce over the top of your prepared rice and vegetables.

2. Top the casserole with the chicken schnitzel and a sprinkling of grated cheese. (In the photo you'll see that I only had cheese slices left so I chopped them into thin sticks).

3. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes until it is heated through and the cheese has melted.