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:
• 8 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded 
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped 
• 1 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
• 1 (10-ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce
• 1 (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.

Posted in: best american recipes