Meal Bite: Mom’s Catalina Chicken and Rice
Hi Busies!
This post goes out to my mom, who is most of the inspiration for Busy Girl (and my life in general!) Working full time as a nurse, she also managed to be a full time mom – always around to chauffeur my sister and I to our after-school activities, serving on various school and figure skating boards, and somehow managing to have a home cooked meal on the table every night. I’m still not sure how she did it!
As a kid, you never fully understand the responsibilities and frustrations that come with #adulting. I remember the look on my mom’s face one night when we got home after figure skating practice and realized she had put the food out but forgot to turn on the crock pot that morning. At the time, my sister and I took for granted the time and effort she had spent planning, shopping, and making the meal – we were just excited that we got to order takeout that night!
Recently, I set out a meal to thaw on the counter and forgot to put it in the fridge before going to bed. The next morning, my stomach dropped as I walked into the kitchen and saw it sitting innocently on the counter. As I threw the 4 servings of that meal away, cursing the time & money I had put into it, I remembered the times we ended up ordering takeout growing up, and suddenly I didn’t feel so bad. After all, those takeout nights were a fun change to our regular routine, and they gave me some great family memories of passing Chinese takeout containers around the table, sharing (and fighting!) over our favorites. And the eager look on Drew’s face when I told him it was a Chipotle night pretty much did the rest!
Sometimes, you just have those days where you want ?,?, or ?. Or, you have a meal prep fail and you’re left with no other choice. Something else my mom taught me is to how to roll with the punches and learn from your mistakes. You can bet I’ve never left another meal out on the counter overnight!
Always practicing that calligraphy lettering!
My mom was always thinking of creative new meals, and she also has some valuable time saving tips that I still use today! Salad dressings make a great base for a sauce, and the slow baking method means this Catalina Chicken comes out tender and juicy. Just stir the sauce ingredients together, pour over the chicken, and bake!
This was my first time using cauliflower rice. I got a prepared version from the grocery store and sautéed it (see recipe notes section for more details). I made regular rice as a backup because I was worried Drew wouldn’t like it, but we were both pleasantly surprised! The almonds in the rice and the green beans both bring a nice crunch to this plate.
For meal prepping, I made the chicken as part of meal prep and then made the sides on the day of. There’s no reason you can’t prep the sides too, though! I actually made a double portion of green beans and popped the leftovers in the freezer (you’re welcome, Future Sam!).
Mom's 5 Ingredient Catalina Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 large or 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (if using large, cut into 4 pieces of similar size)
- 2 packages onion soup mix
- 1 16 oz bottle Catalina salad dressing (I used lite)
- 1 18 oz jar apricot jam or preserves
- 4 servings rice or cauliflower rice (cooked according to package directions)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a pan with nonstick foil or cooking spray.
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Wash chicken and pat dry.
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In a medium bowl, stir together dressing, onion soup mix, and jam.
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Add 1/2 the sauce mixture to the prepared pan, add chicken, then top with remaining sauce.
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Bake 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
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Serve over rice and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Serving Suggestion:
Cauliflower Rice:
Heat 1 tsp olive oil and 1T butter in a pan over medium high heat. Add cauliflower rice, season with salt, pepper, and 2 tsp Italian seasoning. Sauce 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in a handful of sliced almonds.
Green Beans:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse beans and pat dry. If desired, slice off ends and cut in half. Add green beans to a pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.