MADDIE DAY here. I bring you a yummy filling casserole with Mexican flavors.
My former mother-in-law, Jean, made this casserole using cream of chicken soup instead of sour cream, and she gave the recipe to her sons. I like it better with sour cream, but sub in a can of creamy soup if you'd like.
Chicken Chile Casserole
With inspiration from Food.com and my ex-husband's mother.
Ingredients
2 -3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 -3 tablespoons fresh minced garlic (or to taste)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
1 can mild enchilada sauce
1 can green chilies, drained
1 -2 teaspoons cumin
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup sour cream, plus some
salt and pepper
12-16 corn tortillas (you might use a couple less than 24, or use as many as needed)
2 cups cooked chicken (or use cooked turkey), shredded
2 cups Monterey jack and cheddar cheese blend, shredded and divided (or to taste)
Ripe avocado, sliced
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
In a medium heavy pot or skillet, heat 2-3 tablespoons oil over medium heat; add in chopped onion, garlic and jalapeno pepper, saute for about 3-4 minutes.
Add in the enchilada sauce, green chiles, cumin and sour cream, season with salt and pepper; bring sauce to a boil and simmer for about 3 minutes or until heated through and combined. Remove from heat.
Spread about 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Arrange 5-6 tortillas over the soup mixture, then top with about 1 cup chicken, 1/2 cup black beans, and about 1/2 cup shredded cheese (or to taste).
Repeat the layers (ending with the cheese).
Spread the remaining sauce over the cheese.
Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Top with a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocado, and enjoy hot with a green salad.
Readers, do you shortcuts like canned soups or cake mixes in recipes, or do you prefer doing it all from scratch (noting that I readily took the enchilada sauce shortcut...)? I'll send one commenter an audiobook of Scone Cold Dead!
🥑🌮🥑
We hope you'll visit Maddie and her Agatha Award-winning alter ego Edith Maxwell on our web site, sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit us on social media, and check our all our books and short stories.
Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen.
