Did They Eat It?: Queso with Chicken, Black Beans and Rice Velveeta Edition

Finally! The (Rather Lamely Named) RECIPE!!!!!!!!

This is most of my ingredients: Multigrain tortilla chips, diced onion, brown rice, black beans, Ro-Tel, minced garlic, cumin and chili pepper. And, you know Velveeta (2%!)

Here is the olive oil I forgot in the picture.

And here is the chicken I grilled under an umbrella in the rain while my tonsils screamed for mercy when I took the first picture. Let me tell you, when you've got tonsillitis, a deadline, a handyman coming to the house and cleaning ladies also wanting to clean your house at noon, you're going to want to be outside in the rain grilling chicken at 9 o'clock in the morning. (Did I already say that? I like to repeat myself.)

If you don't want to be outside grilling in the rain with tonsillitis, try to remember to make some extra grilled chicken the next time you happen to be grilling so you don't have to do this. Also, have healthier tonsils.

In my recipe I tell you to use one whole onion. This is what I would do if I had a normal family who understood that cooked onions are not offensive, in fact they add something called "Flavor"! But in my family my husband stands over the pan looking for the onions and is then convinced he hates the food. Even the word "onion" makes his eardrums go "blurgh", and shockingly my husband's taste buds are in his eardrums. My daughter's are in her fingertips.

So this, the little tiny piece of onion on the left, is the amount of onion I dare to use in my version. Still, you should dice up the whole thing, or at least half of it, because it adds so much flavor. I could probably just skip the onion all together with this tiny amount I'm allowed to use, but part of me believes that if I keep putting onions in everything, eventually they'll be desensitized to it.

As part of my plan I've been putting onion in their pancakes for years.* Shh...don't tell!

Heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and cook 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add your normal amount (my ridiculous tiny amount) of onion with your cumin and your chili powder. And saute until the onions are soft.

Cumin is my favorite spice. My mother's spice cabinet consisted of Salt and Pepper with occasional use of the Bay Leaves she'd saved and reused for 20 years. This is how Madison and Logan wish I cooked.

Add your beans to the pan. You didn't think I'd invent a recipe that didn't include black beans did you?

Add the can of Ro-Tel and continue to cook at Medium until the liquid reduces about half.

Turn the heat down to Medium Low and add the cheese chunks and grilled chicken. Let the cheese melt.

Mine looks burned in the back there, but it's just the out of focus black beans pretending to be burned. While the cheese is melting, put about four handfuls of chips into a resealable plastic bag and give it to your sick kid who is home from school for the third day in a row - not that you're counting, to smash up.

You'll end up with crumbles like this.

I forgot, as I always do, to take a picture of the rice lining the bottom of your 9x13 pan. But you can imagine it right? Just pour it in and spread it around evenly.

Now take your cheese, bean and chicken mixture and pour it over the rice, evenly. Steamy.

Now cover the whole thing with the crunched up tortilla chips and throw it in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes. Since everything is already warm from the skillet, this step is just to make the tortilla chips fragrant and a little extra toasted and to let the sauce melt into the rice a little bit.

If you're using leftover rice, because you're smart and planned ahead, this step would also make sure your rice was heated through.

Here it is just out of the oven. It smells really lovely.

Here it is in the serving bowl.

And once again, for good measure.

But the real question is, Did They Eat It?

Logan: After the few tries, this is the best yet. It reminds me of that dip we used to make when we were dating and our weekend consisted of naps and margaritas. It's good! Too bad you have to put onions in it.

Max: Sure, I like it. As long as you remind me that it's the same cheese that goes on my favorite Macaroni and Cheese from a box. Can I have more please?

Madison: I would like to Damn all of Velveeta's People straight to hell. If I have to sit down to one more dinner where everything is mixed together and to add insult, coated in cheese when my mother KNOWS I don't like cheese, I will make it my personal mission in life to rid the planet of Velveeta via a smear campaign of such magnitude you do not want to go there Velveeta's People. Do not test me.

(I filled in the blanks here for Madison. But the general gist was as expected. Negative. I wasn't exactly expecting a miracle, so I'm not surprised.)

Melissa: I really like this dish. It's spicy and has the Tex-Mex feel I wanted. The chips add a nice crunch and the rice/bean/chicken mix makes it a filling dish that won't leave you hungry in an hour. It's no Spamarama, but it will do.

Here is the straight recipe: 

Queso Chicken Black Bean and Rice Casserole

2 garlic cloves, minced
1Tbsp. olive oil
medium onion, diced
1.5tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 14oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10oz can Ro-Tel (diced tomatoes and chiles)
8oz Velveeta 2%, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cups cooked brown rice
2-2.5 cups chopped grilled chicken
4 handfuls of multigrain tortilla chips, crushed

If not using leftover grilled chicken and rice, start by grilling your chicken (about 2 chicken breast halves) and cooking your rice according to package directions (make enough for approximately 6 servings).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the diced onion and cook one to two minutes more to soften. Add cumin and chili powder and mix together.

Add the black beans, combine to distribute seasoning. Next, add Ro-Tel and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce some of the liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Add the Velveeta and grilled chicken to the pan, stirring occasionally to let the cheese melt.

Grab about four handfuls of chips, place them in a plastic bag (with a good seal!) and let your kid smash them for a couple of seconds.

In a 9x13" pan, pour the rice and spread on the bottom of the pan, evenly distributing.
Pour the black bean, chicken, queso mixture on top of the rice.
Sprinkle the tortilla chips on top of that.

Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the chips start smelling toasted.

Serves 8

Here is the PDF you can download to try it for yourself. If you like it please head over to The Velveeta Challenge website from October 30th to November 23rd to vote! Thanks, and you're welcome for not making the Spam thing.

Comments

[HouseofJules]

This looks DELICIOUS, and I'm not just saying that b/c I haven't had breakfast yet. I might have to make this for dinner the next time I actually make dinner! Madison's response nearly made me spit out my water... Heading over to vote for you now!
Jules
House of Jules

[Molly Sly]

Looks really good. I'm going to try it this week. It'll be luck of the draw if the kids will actually try it. My guess is no, but I'm ok with that. It doesn't always have to be "all about the kids", does it?

[Christy]

My mouth is watering at 10 am. Yummy!

p.s. I appreciate you speaking out on the previous post too! Thank-you for the good reads. Cheers.

[Nicole]

Ooh! That looks really good. And I find myself with most of the ingredients in my house. I will definitely be trying it... with all of the onions, and possibly some jalapenos!

[HorribleLicensePlates]

It's only 9:30 here and I want to eat a whole plate of this. Thanks!

[jen]

I have a similarly picky husband. Onions are a threat to his existence. However, he will tolerate the onion cousin, the shallot (because I snuck it in once and he raved about the flavor). Now I use shallots in everything calling for onion.

This looks sooo good. I wish I could eat cheese.

[carrie]

My husband's reaction to any new dish is "Do I like this?" (because generally he doesn't even realize it's something new). I just tell him yes, he likes it.

I think he is going to like this soon.

[Amy]

That looks SOOOO good, even though we don't eat Velveeta. I'll probably try it with real cheese, but it wouldn't be as gooey then, would it? And can you believe I've never seen or eaten Ro-tel in my life? Apparently New England just doesn't use it. What else is in it? What would I have to add to tomatoes to make them Ro-tel-y?

[patois]

Finally, the recipe! Hooray! Planning on trying it this weekend. I won't report on whether my kids eat it, though, because the two younger ones will likely just run from the kitchen screaming as they see what goes in it. Cold cereal for them that night.

[kym b]

This may actually get my kids to eat rice. Looks awesome.

another p.s. about the last post. Amen, sister. And I love how you ended it. Racists have no place on the happy, happy internets.

[CinAA]

I will be making this sometime this week. I almost never buy Velveeta but I do like the gooey queso thing with Ro-Tel. Maybe on Saturday to watch football! With beers!

I expect the reactions will be the same at our house, but my daughter will not hate it because of the cheese. I'm betting the cheese, the chips, and the rice will be all that she approves of. Even grilled chicken is weird with those "burnt marks" in her world. Try eating dinner with a child trying to discreetly scrape off the "burnt" without you either getting an ulcer or yelling.

[CJ]

What is Ro-Tel?

[melissaS]

http://www.texmex.net/Rotel/main.htm

[Michelle]

Oh, my. My mother tried to do the same thing with me - she put onions, stewed tomatoes, and peppers in absolutely everything and would force me to eat it, knowing I hated all of it, trying to convince me that I should learn to like it because "one day you'll be trapped in a field of nothing but green peppers, and then what are you going to eat?" She only laughed when I simply told her I'd starve to death. One evening we had a battle of wills over whether or not I would eat the stewed tomatoes she put in the chili. With her and my dad both standing over me, not letting me back my chair away from the table, I eventually did give in and eat one, then promptly puked all over the kitchen table.

Which I am absolutely convinced is a GREAT comment to make on a post with what looks like a very yummy recipe. Um...yup.

[MelissaS]

we are believers in the one bite method. No battles at the table.

[JFS in IL]

I, too, live with non-onion folk. Sigh. I have resorted to cooking onions in their own little frying pan so I can have my own cooked onions to add to my soup/chili/taco meat, etc.

Worse - no one here will eat anything that looks like a casserole. Everything must be separate and plain as can be.

[MichelleB]

Wow thanks for the recipes! The way to my husband's heart is with good food so this weekend is our 10th anniversary and since he already bought me a pair of gorgeous diamond earrings from www.idonowidont.com as an early present, I'm going to cook him up the Queso Chicken Casserole as a present to him. Thanks!

[abi]

This post couldn't have come at a better time - as I was surveying my pantry and wondering what I felt like making for dinner. I even had all the ingredients on hand, except for the Velveeta (which I sent the hubs to the store for on his way home from work) and the black beans (turns out the cans I thought were black beans were really kidney beans - but those worked okay, too). This went together quickly and was a big hit - and didn't taste all fake-cheesy, like a lot of Velveeta recipes. Fantastic recipe, Melissa - thanks!

[jo]

Melissa;

Offers still on if you need it costed...but might I suggest something. If you want so sneak in onions, grate them on a box grater or run them through the shredding blade of a food processor. this will give you the taste, but no evil chunks for the pickie ones to discover. trust me here, there is a woman at the cooking school whose husband refuses all onions and that is how she gets around it.

[Olly]

I bet everyone in my family would eat that! Although if I snuck in a few green peppers and olives there would be some big whining!

[Courtney]

Recipe bookmarked. That looks really yummy. I think I'll try it out next week.

[Amy]

I was scheduled to make Black Bean Chili tonight and when I went to print out the recipe, I happened to glance at my feed reader and see that you had posted your Velveeta recipe. I clicked over and realized I had most of the ingredients. (Even Velveeta, which I never have, but we made nachos a while ago.) I only used 4 oz of Velveeta, no chicken, 10 oz salsa instead of tomatoes, and I used brown rice that I had previously cooked and stuck in the freezer. We served it with sour cream. It was excellent! Thanks for the recipe.

[Bill]

Um?
Pre-cooked rice?
Or un-cooked?
or did I just read over it?
(I'm so lame, I don't know)

[Wendy]

Winner. Winner. Chicken Dinner.

GREAT recipe. Made it last night, and have been thinking about leftovers for lunch since I woke up this morning.

Thought this would be a real winner with our toddler - she loves black beans, rice, chicken, cheese, etc. But she wouldn't hardly touch it, the freak.

[prettyneato]

Yum! That looks fantastic. My Noodle is not always so keen on casseroles where I mix and bake - but for some strange reason, she can tell the difference if I mix it all and keep it in a pan on the stove top. She will totally dig in. Weird kids!

[melissaS]

Bill: Already cooked rice. If you're really smart like Amy up there you'll have some in your freezer you can defrost. I never plan that far ahead.

[spoiledonlychild]

This looks great, except for the nasty, nasty Velveeta. The way it hardens up into a gelatinous goo within seconds of beginning to cool? It's fakey, chemically taste? Ick. I think some nice creamy muenster or mozzarella would be a good substitute. Also, adding jalapenos and cilantro, maybe a touch of lime juice, would be great.

[MelissaS]

Well, since this is a Velveeta Challenge....

But thanks for your opinion!

[Marcie]

Great looking recipe!

Ok, this is probably a dumb question, I like black beans, but I have never ever cooked them. Do you just buy them in a can, or if not, how do you prepare them?

[melissaS]

I buy them in the can and drain and rinse them in a colander.

[Kids Printable Crafts]

That looks amazing! And despite what Velveeta looks like it taste wonderful! Can't wait to have this at my Halloween party! Thanks for the tips!

[kathy]

this look yummy--will be making it very soon..

[Salome]

I am making this right now! I'll log back and tell you how it came out. (Not sure I'm as good in the kitchen as you are).

[Salome]

That was absolutely fantastic!!! My husband ate about 1/2 the pan, and my pregnant self gorged, too. Really easy to make and the flavors and textures are excellent. As soon as voting opens, I'll be voting for you!!!!

[Bill]

M: Thanks for the reply.
This sounds delicious.
I'm gonna try this one soon.
The kids will love it.
My wife on the other hand does not like casseroles, rice or beans.
I will have to fix her something else, I guess.

[Gloria]

This looks fantastic, I already know we will all love this!

[Larissa Gaston]

Melissa, I just went and voted for your recipe on the Velvetta Challenge site. I'm sure it will mean a lifetime of unwanted spam from Velveeta, but that's a risk I was willing to take.:) Your recipe sounds tasty and I'm looking forward to making it - good luck and hope you win!

[carpot]

This was great Melissa! I really liked it, though I drained the tomatoes so it was maybe a little dry... (We don't have Ro-Tel up here in Canucksville, so I used Aylmer "diced tomatoes for salsa" - same thing, I'm telling myself.) I added some green chilies (I don't think my diced tomatoes had any) and a chipotle pepper (I needed to use up the can I opened last week), but without those, it would be just as delicious! I brought it for a pot luck we had at work and it went over very well!

[kc]

This was excellent and so fast/easy! I substituted cheddar for the velveeta 'cuz I don't like cheese product. (shh! don't tell the velveeta folks) Thanks for the recipe!

[beyond]

this sounds yummy although i will not make this with velveeta (because that makes my tastebuds go "blurgh"). but that's easy to substitute. i LOVE your 'did they eat it' series, you always make me laugh...

[Gloria]

I came back to say I made this last night and we all loved it. For someone who says they don't like to cook, you sure came up with a great recipe! I voted for you and I think you should win.

[Mary]

Made this tonight...sort of. I left out the chicken and substituted a block of regular sharp cheddar (sorry Velveeta people! I'm sure it's great w/ Velveeta but I used what I had on hand). Soooo good! This was a winner with my husband too. Hope that you win - great recipe!

[Laura]

This looks really good...now if only I could convince the hubby that Velveeta isn't all bad...hm...

[Cristy]

I tried this last night and I loved it. I used double the chicken and velveeta because my boys are notorious for just picking out the meat in whatever I make. I brought some leftovers for dinner tonight. I made a few exceptions for what I didn't have on hand. I used premium minute rice and garlic powder and onion powder since I didn't have either of those. I don't think it messed with the flavor much.

[DJB]

You totally should have won! That shrimp casserole looks vile! I have a hunk of velveeta in my fridge and needed something palatable to use it for. My thighs just can't justify making beer cheese soup again. Thanks so much for the recipe. Looks just AWESOME! Now my velveeta won't turn green.

[Bev]

My son used to the say the same thing about onions, so for the first 8-10 years I used a fine grater, the onion flavour got in there but he wasn't biting down on one. At one point I told him "you DO like onions, you eat them just fine in any fast food burger" He conceded he did not mind the taste so much as the texture. Now we compromise, I no longer grate them up but I do not use large pieces (unless in soups or stews where they will be very soft).