Land & Sea Layer Cake
Baked Garlic Chicken, Salmon, and Beef with Tomato-Onion Rice, Broccoli, and Avocado-Lemon Mash
41 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerItalianGluten-freeDairy-freeNut-freeSoy-free
Herb's take
Italian comfort food gets a protein-packed plot twist. In this hearty bake, you'll learn how to layer cooked meats and aromatic vegetables for maximum flavor, plus why mashing avocado with lemon and garlic at the end keeps things fresh (and gloriously green).
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- 02In a medium saucepan, combine the rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered.
- 03While the rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken pieces and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl.
- 04Add ground beef to the same skillet and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in half the minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper; cook 1 minute more. Remove beef to the bowl with the chicken.
- 05Return skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and cook until softened and golden, about 5 minutes.
- 06Add the diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining black pepper. Cook until tomatoes are tender and saucy, 5 minutes.
- 07Stir in the broccoli florets and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, just until the broccoli turns bright green.
- 08Spread the cooked rice in an even layer in the oiled baking dish.
- 09Scatter the chicken, beef, and salmon cubes evenly over the rice layer.
- 10Top with the tomato-onion-broccoli mixture and gently smooth to mostly cover the meats.
- 11Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes, until everything is heated through and the salmon is just cooked but still moist.
- 12Meanwhile, halve and pit the avocado. Scoop flesh into a bowl and mash with the remaining minced garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until creamy but still a little chunky.
- 13Remove casserole from oven and let rest 3-4 minutes. Dollop big spoonfuls of the avocado mash over the top, swirling slightly but leaving beautiful green streaks visible.
- 14Serve big squares of the bake with extra lemon wedges if desired.
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