Spicy Chicken and Rice Bake

Ok, I've tried four or five different introductions to this post, and none of them are working...

Webster's defines "spicy" as....

Freezer meals are way cool...

(no pun intended)

Ugh, freezer meals are about as cool as I am. 
Case in point:

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Uh...where were we?

Spicy Chicken Rice Bake is not something I would have made back in my dairy days. OK, fine, the only things I made back in my dairy days included the instructions "peel back plastic cover to vent." Then again, had I been the world-renowned chef I am today I still probably wouldn't have made this. It certainly didn't sound bad, it just didn't sound all that special.

But that's what's so awesome about the meal planning thing. I took a chance and dammit, if it's on the menu, and its in the freezer, and I don't have to start from scratch when I get home, then dammit, I'm going to eat it.

Dammit.

This was so surprisingly good! It had a great kick and the beans, corn, and rice combination was perfectly paired. Actually, I'm probably going to double the beans, rice, and corn combo next time.

So how do you make it?

Ingredients (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book)

3 lbs chicken breast

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 medium green pepper (chopped)

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

one 15-ounce ban black beans (drained and rinsed)

one 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (undrained)

1 cup tomato juice

1 cup frozen corn kernels

2/3 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

paprika (I actually used smoked paprika - which is SO good)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a large sauce pan cook onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in hot oil until vegetables are tender. 
2. Stir in black beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, corn, uncooked rice, chili powder, red pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil. Transfer rice mixture to a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange chicken on top of rice mixture. Sprinkle with paprika.
3. Bake, covered, at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 50 minutes. (Maybe it's because I used really thick chicken breasts, but mine took almost 2 hrs). Cook until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees and rice is tender.

For freezer/make-ahead option

Follow directions above through step 2. Instead of putting it in a regular baking dish, I put mine in an aluminum pan wrapped securely with saran wrap and place in freezer. When ready to eat, defrost completely and pick up with step 3.