Southwest Chicken Casserole
I consider this recipe one of my best. Not too many recipes I cook turn out perfect the first time, but this one did. I hope you like it too.
I consider this recipe one of my best. Not too many recipes I cook turn out perfect the first time, but this one did. I hope you like it too.
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 2 cans rotel tomatoes
- 5 cups cooked boneless chicken thighs broken into bit size pieces
- 1/2 cup enchilada sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream.
- 2 tablespoons chilli powder
- 8 cups tortilla chips slightly crushed
- 1/2 cup cream of chicken soup
- 1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
- 11/2 cups shreaded mexican cheese
- 1 can green chilli peppers
- Carbohydrate 157.37758262962 g
- Cholesterol 21.54375 mg
- Fat 55.4027575415077 g
- Fiber 12.3702746317992 g
- Protein 17.559520014081 g
- Saturated Fat 9.32349850477883 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (391g)
- Sodium 852.571250572055 mg
- Sugar 145.007307997821 g
- Trans Fat 4.79401750336297 g
- Calories 1194 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook chicken until slightly brown on both sides.
- Add onions and bell peppers and cook until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the enchilada sauce, the cream, the chilli power, and the green peppers, and cook 5 more minutes, stirring frequently.
- Line the bottom of baking pan with half the chips.
- Spread over with the chicken mixture.
- In a bowl, mix the soups and spoon evenly over the chicken.
- Layer with the rest of the chips, and the rotel tomatoes.
- Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes at 350 F.
- Top with the cheese, and bake until the cheese is melted.
Feeding a crowd or stretching a food budget requires structural planning when combining heavy dairy with crisp tortilla chips. Casseroles built on fried corn chips demand precise layering to prevent total saturation during baking. Starch absorbs moisture rapidly, meaning texture management dictates success when combining canned soups, heavy cream, and tomatoes.
Structuring the assembly requires careful sequencing of wet and dry components. Lining the base with crushed tortilla chips creates a porous foundation that absorbs the rendered chicken juices without dissolving prematurely. Spreading the condensed cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soups over the middle layer acts as a moisture barrier, protecting the upper layer of chips from becoming soggy before the dish enters the 350-degree oven.
Freezing this unbaked casserole is entirely viable if assembled without the final topping of shredded Mexican cheese and the top layer of chips. Wrap the pan tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil for up to two months. Thaw the dish completely in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours before baking, then add fresh chips and cheese during the final ten minutes in the oven to prevent burning. When scaling down the portion size, substitute Greek yogurt for heavy cream at a one-to-one ratio without altering the structural integrity of the sauce.
