Family Brown Rice Bake with Thyme Chicken, Carrots and Baked Cottage Cheese Cream

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with a little of the olive oil.

2. 2

   Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining olive oil and cook the onion for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.

3. 3

   Add the diced chicken, dried thyme, sweet paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink.

4. 4

   Add the grated carrot and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice, cook for 2 minutes to blend the flavors, then turn off the heat. Add the cooked brown rice and mix well.

6. 6

   In a bowl, combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, egg, cornstarch, half of the shredded mozzarella, and the grated Parmesan until thick and smooth.

7. 7

   Transfer the chicken and rice mixture to the baking dish and spread it evenly. Top with spoonfuls of the cottage cheese cream and gently spread it out. Finish with the remaining mozzarella over the top.

8. 8

   Bake for 25 minutes at 200 °C / 400 °F, until the center is hot and the top is starting to turn golden.

9. 9

   For deeper color, broil for 2 to 3 additional minutes, watching closely, while keeping the dish in the oven at 200 °C / 400 °F or using the oven's broil/grill setting.

10. 10

    Let the bake rest for 8 minutes before serving so it firms up and slices more neatly.