Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Mexican Chicken Casserole with Charred Tomato Salsa

Mexican Chicken Casserole with Charred Tomato Salsa

Mexican Chicken Casserole with Charred Tomato Salsa

Instead of the usual jarred salsa often called for in Mexican casserole, this recipe features a homemade salsa made with charred tomatoes that are mixed with cilantro and fresh lime juice. Charring the tomatoes gives a rich flavor to the salsa, which is a good match for this chicken-and-veggie-packed dish
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • Salsa:
  • plum tomatoes, halved and seeded 
  • garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 
  • small onion, peeled and chopped 
  • seeded jalapeño pepper, quartered
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • Casserole:
  • 1 cup chopped onion 
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • 1 cup diced zucchini 
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper 
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast 
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic 
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • (10-ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce
  • (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
  • 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

  1. 1. Preheat broiler.
  2. 2. To prepare salsa, combine first 4 ingredients on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 20 minutes or until charred, stirring once. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Place tomato mixture in a food processor; add cilantro, lime juice, and pepper. Process until smooth. Set aside.
  3. 3. Preheat oven to 350°.
  4. 4. To prepare casserole, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion, corn, zucchini, and bell pepper; sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Add chicken and next 5 ingredients (through green chiles); sauté 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat.
  5. 5. Spread 1/2 cup salsa over the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange half of tortillas over salsa. Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture evenly over tortillas. Top with 3/4 cup salsa. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of each cheese. Repeat layers, starting with remaining tortillas and ending with remaining cheeses. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes until bubbly.

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