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Arroz de forno

Baked rice with chicken and ham

Arroz de forno: Brazilian baked leftover rice with chicken, ham, peas and cheese

Every Brazilian family has a version of arroz de forno, the Monday rescue for Sunday's leftover rice. The rice is mixed with shredded chicken, diced ham (pork), peas, sweetcorn, tomato sauce and creamy requeijão, then baked under cheese until the top is golden and crusty. It's a one-dish lunch, good with a green salad. Rice safety matters: use rice that was cooled within an hour of cooking and kept in the fridge for no more than a day. Chef's tip: leave some cheese for the very top so it forms a crisp lid.
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

For the rice

For the top

  • 5 ½ oz mozzarellagrated
  • 1 oz parmesangrated

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a 20 x 30 cm baking dish.

    5 min
  2. Step 2: Mix the 1 ⅓ lb cooked white rice, cold, 9 oz cooked chicken, 3 ½ oz cooked ham, 3 ½ oz peas, 3 ½ oz sweetcorn kernels, 1 ¼ cups tomato sauce and 5 ½ oz requeijão or cream cheese in a large bowl until evenly coated.

    5 min
  3. Step 3: Spread in the dish and cover with the 5 ½ oz mozzarella and 1 oz parmesan.

    2 min
  4. Step 4: Bake for 25–30 minutes until bubbling at the edges and golden on top, and the centre is piping hot; the chicken must reach 165°F again. Underheating leftovers is the mistake to avoid here.

    28 min
  5. Step 5: Rest for 5 minutes, then serve. Don't reheat it a second time.

    5 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
480 kcal
Protein
30 g
Carbs
46 g
Fat
19 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does arroz de forno take?
About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
What can I use instead of cooked white rice, cold?
Any long-grain rice, same amount.
What can I use instead of requeijão or cream cheese?
Mascarpone, same amount.

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