I love easy meals. Anyone who has been reading for long knows a quick and easy meal is definitely the way to my heart! When I was fixing dinner the other night, I took a look and… oh no. No sides. I had nothing to pair with the chicken I had already started boiling! So, I took to the pantry to see just what I had inside… and out of my pantry findings, this very flavorful, very easy beans and rice came to be!
You’re going to start with 4 cups of minute rice, a bag of frozen corn, a can of kidney beans (drained), a can of diced tomatoes (also drained), a finely diced bell pepper, a can of chicken broth, and a package of ranch dressing mix. But here’s the best part: if you don’t have one or more of those ingredients, sub them out! These beans and rice are totally flexible!
Start by cooking your Minute rice according to the package directions. While that cooks, do your prep work, like dicing your red bell pepper (substitute green, yellow, or orange bell pepper or onion if you’d like! Try a diced jalapeno instead for extra POP!), and draining your canned goods.
Mix together your canned beans, tomatoes, frozen corn, and bell pepper in a casserole dish.
Now, you’ll mix together a can of chicken broth with a packet of Hidden Valley ranch dressing and dip mix. If you have another seasoning blend you prefer, you can use it, but I am a forever fan of ranch dressing mixes for their tangy, delicious flavor!
Grab your rice and stir it into the other ingredients in the baking dish, then pour the ranch-broth mixture over the top of your beans and rice. You’ll want to place this baking dish in an oven pre-heated to 350 for about 15 minutes, or until everything is nice and warm.
You can’t beat this easy and delicious rice as a last-minute side. I’m always short on time and I usually don’t realize until way too late that I forgot to find a side for my meal. This dish took less time than it took for my chicken to cook, so they ended up coming out at the same time!
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Minute Rice
- 1 Bag Frozen Corn
- 1 Can Kidney Beans, Drained
- 1 Can Diced Tomatoes, Drained
- 1 Finely Diced Bell Pepper (can substitute Jalapeno or onion)
- 1 Can Chicken Broth (14.5 ounces)
- 1 Package Ranch Mix
Instructions
- Begin cooking Minute Rice according to package directions.
- Dice bell pepper.
- Combine pepper, corn, beans, and tomatoes.
- In a separate bowl, combine ranch mix and chicken broth.
- Stir rice into bean mixture, then pour broth mixture over rice and beans.
- Bake at 350 for 15 minutes until mixture is hot and bubbly.
What is your go-to easy side dish? If you’re looking for some other great sides, check out these Mississippi Mud Cheesy Potatoes, Strawberry Pretzel Salad, or Oriental Ramen Slaw!
