Confetti Chicken and Rice

1 cup long-grain rice

2 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves (about 12 ounces), fresh or frozen

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 large onion (for about 1 cup chopped)

3 cups frozen mixed vegetables (see note)

1 can (10¾ ounces) reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup (see note)

¾ cup low-fat milk

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Salt to taste

½ cup finely shredded cheddar cheese, preferably reduced-fat

Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, if the chicken is frozen, run it under hot water so you can remove any packaging. Place the chicken on a microwave-safe plate and microwave 2 minutes, on high, to begin defrosting.

While the chicken defrosts, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet that has a lid over medium heat. Peel and chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Cook, stirring from time to time. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, adding them to the skillet as you cut. Cook and stir until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the vegetables into a colander and rinse briefly under warm tap water to remove any ice crystals. Shake the colander to remove as much water as possible, and set aside.

Add the soup and milk to the skillet and stir until well combined. (Use a rubber spatula to remove all of the soup from the can.) Stir in the mixed vegetables, garlic, basil and black pepper. Cook until the mixture comes to a very slow boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the rice is almost done, stirring from time to time. Season with salt and more pepper if desired.

Just before the rice finishes cooking, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the skillet, cover it and remove it from the heat. To serve, spoon the chicken mixture over a bed of hot rice.

Serves four generously.

Cook's note: We used a medley of frozen corn, peas, carrots and string beans, but the exact blend doesn't matter and may vary slightly from brand to brand. Just be sure to choose vegetables without sauce that are frozen loose in the bag so they'll defrost quickly. For testing purposes, we used Campbell's Healthy Request condensed soup.

Nutrition values per serving: 478 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated), 68 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 30 g protein, 64 mg cholesterol, 462 mg sodium.