Cilantro Jalapeno Chicken aka the perfect pot luck dish.

Cilantro Jalapeno Chicken:

 aka the perfect pot luck dish. 

I am always at a loss as to what to bring to pot luck dinners.  Making salad is a bit of an easy out, there are always too many desserts, never enough main courses. But who wants to prepare a difficult meal, pack it to go and hope it survives the trip? Especially when it has to be re-heated. I usually go for the side dish. My standard is a dish of  mixed boil in a bag rice, a can of diced chili's, a can of beans, a can of diced tomato's and some taco mix. It's a standard dump and go dish that's cheap, feeds many and easy to make on site.  I love easy, I particularly love cheap, easy and quick. However it was always lacking in something. So I kept looking. That's when I found this dish. It's not overly expensive. It makes a ton and it's a standard dump and go that reheats well.  This dish is perfect and a real crowed pleaser.

It also looks really pretty if you make it in a bunt pan. Or as I did in little individual bunt pans.

Cilantro Jalapeno Chicken

Don't let the name fool you. There is just a bit of heat. The Jalapeno's are just for flavor and boy o' boy does this have great flavor.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked rice
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• 1 lb diced chicken breast meat
• 1 can (12 ounces)  evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon diced pickled jalapenos, or fresh if you have them

• 1 tbs Garlic Powder
• Salt to taste

Garnish (optional)- sour cream and whole jalapeno rings

Procedure 

Heat oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except garnish.  Spread into a large casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Garnish if desired.