Mexican Casserole

I often hear Kiera say “I wonder what other people have in their weekly dinner rotation?” I think many of us have the same 8-10 dinner recipes that wind up in our rotation and every now and then we add something new, quit making something, or simply modify an existing recipe. Kiera’s question is a good one and that is one of the reasons we wanted to start the blog. This is the type of stuff we discuss on our outings and often get some good ideas from each other and of course our many other domestic goddess friends.

One of the first recipes that comes to mind in this category is a Mexican casserole I make. I use the word Mexican loosely because although there are Mexican flavors, it is far from anything authentic. Living in AZ I never want to claim a dish as authentic when in no way does it represent the delicious Sonoran Mexican food that I am addicted to. It is, however, extremely easy and tasty.

There are three main reasons that I love this dish. For one, it is made with items you always have in your pantry or fridge. Second, it is easy and quick. Lastly, it makes the most amazing leftovers. I absolutely hate leftovers but there are some things that I will eat the next few days and this is one of them. I will also add pizza, soup, and enchiladas to that list.

Like I have said in several of my other recipes, please feel free to substitute anything that you like to make from scratch. I pride myself on being efficient so I will find the easiest way to do things. This recipe calls for about a cup of diced chicken and I use the frozen fajita chicken that is already cooked. You could also use leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken if you have it. Otherwise, you are more than welcome to grill or bake up a breast or two for this particular recipe.

One of my favorite items to keep in my pantry is rice. The rice that I use for this dish is Farmhouse’s Mexican rice. It is cheap and delicious. It doesn’t have any icky onions or peppers in it so that is the main reason it is one of my staples. Also, it is drier rice, which I prefer. I hate mushy rice with a passion. My mom used to buy this rice when I was younger so it always just stuck with me. It is not sold at every store so if you cannot find it, you are more than welcome to use your favorite go to Spanish rice or even plain white or brown rice would work just fine.

Another pantry staple that goes into this dish is a can of beans. You can use pinto beans or black beans. I have used both and they both taste just fine in this dish so depending on your preference or what you have in your pantry, both will taste great. Finally, a can of corn will be needed. See how easy it is so far?

The first thing you are going to want to do is start your rice. This is the longest part of the cooking process unless you are using leftover rice. Meanwhile, you will want to get out a large mixing bowl. Rinse and drain your beans, drain your corn, and put them in the bowl. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and get out a 9 X 13 baking dish. I know I brag about them a lot but I love my Le Crueset stoneware. They are pretty and easy to clean up!

Now you will want to get out your other items. You will need 1 cup of sour cream. I use the low fat option but you are more than welcome to use your favorite variety. Next, measure out a half of a cup of your favorite salsa or taco sauce. I like things spicy so I use a hot variety of taco sauce to the dish.

Once the rice is cooked, add it to the mixing bowl along with all of the other ingredients, including your diced up cooked chicken. Then you will want to add about a cup of grated cheese. You can use freshly grated or the shredded kind that comes in the bag. I generally use cheddar, Colby-jack, or Mexican style shredded cheese but Monterey jack would taste yummy as well. Mix everything together and pour into your dish. Now you can bake the dish in your preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until heated all the way through. If you would like, you can also top with another cup of cheese to have a melty layer on top. I would do this before you put it in the oven.

Again, I love recipes that can be modified for individual tastes. I am such a picky pants that I often change recipes to fit my preferences. If you do not eat meat you could add mushrooms or omit completely. Some other ideas would be to add onions, a small can of green chilies, or black olives. If you are fancy you could add some cilantro or sour cream as toppings.

I have had many people ask about this dish and they ask about serving it with flour tortillas. I do not think it tastes as good and if you are trying to add some gluten free recipes to you’re your diet, this would be fantastic. It is filling and does not skimp on flavor. Feel free but I almost think it takes away from the dish. Think of it as an already mixed burrito bowl. It also saves well and is perfect for lunch the next day…that is if you have any leftover. I find myself over indulging in this casserole.

Mexican Casserole

1 cup chicken cooked and diced

1 cup low fat sour cream

½ cup salsa or hot sauce

1 can corn

1 can pinto or black beans

1 cup shredded cheese (plus more if you want some on top)

1 package of Mexican/Spanish rice, cooked

(optional ingredients : onion, green chilies, black olives, mushrooms)

Preheat oven to 350. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Pour into a 9 X 13 baking dish. Top with more cheese if you would like. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Enjoy!

#recipe #easy #dinner