An Easy And Decent Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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Remember when we made that crockpot salsa chicken? That was a great night. It was so amazing that we ended up having a bunch of leftovers. As only the greatest of nights will produce.

Leftover salsa chicken has pretty endless possibilities.

As endless as the storyline for this post.

I was actually squabbling with my husband when I served this casserole. I cannot remember what the argument was about. I am sure it was not my fault. It always never is. I loved the casserole. His sole comment at dinner was, “It’s decent.”

My reply was not.

Before I posted this recipe, I made it again. I wanted to be sure it was good. It is. I like it. I really like it. It has a wonderful crunchy top. Good creamy flavor.

It is decent.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups leftover salsa chicken (recipe here) or diced rot. chicken
2 cups plus 1/2 cup (set aside) shredded monterey jack cheese
1 10 oz. can green enchilada sauce
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 4 oz. can of green chiles
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4-1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock (I have used water and it was fine)
9 corn tortillas
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup crumbled tortilla chips
2 Tbsp. Chopped cilantro
Pinch of paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour your vegetable oil in a small skillet and heat to hot enough to fry tortillas. With tongs, lay each tortilla in oil for about five seconds on each side. Keep tortilla flat. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

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In a skillet over medium heat, combine cream cheese, chiles, enchilada sauce, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder until well-combined. Add sour cream and mix until incorporated. Add chicken stock until it is a looser consistency. Turn off heat.

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In a 9 X 9 casserole dish, pour a little of the sauce in the bottom of the pan. Lay four tortillas in the bottom of the pan until it is covered. Tear one tortilla and fit into remaining holes. Pour 1/2 of the sauce over the tortilla. Layer half of the chicken on top of the sauce. Layer one cup of monterey jack cheese. Place four tortillas over the cheese. With the remaining pieces from the previously torn tortilla, fill in any gaps. Layer the remaining sauce over the tortilla. Layer the remaining chicken. Spread one cup of monterey jack cheese over top.

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Place casserole in the oven and bake for twenty five minutes.

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In a bowl combine tortilla chips, paprika and the remaining 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese.

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When casserole has baked for twenty five minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle tortilla chip cheese mixture over the top. Place back in oven for five minutes.

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Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top.

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I served mine with Mexican rice.

To a grumbling husband.

It did not, miraculously, descend into his lap*.

I, and this dish, are of the decent sort, after all.

*Plus, I happen to really love the guy. I would hate to waste a serving of casserole ruin his lap. ; )

Waste Not, Want Yes: Tacos and Taco Casserole

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Okay. Who doesn’t have tacos in their regular menu rotation? It is a staple, right?

I like my tacos finely ground. I also like to make a casserole with the leftover meat the next day. The casserole recipe is from my lovely friend Bridgette! Thank you Bridgette! You’re the best.

Tacos

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs. ground meat (I prefer 93/7 ground beef)
White corn tortillas (I buy the 30 count package and make home made tortilla chips with the rest.)
3 cups shredded cheese (I like the Mexican four cheese. It is approximately 1 cup for tacos and 2 cups for casserole, but feel free to use less.)
Taco seasoning (I use around 1/2 more than they recommend. So, for this batch, 1 and 1/2 packets of taco seasoning. I just buy the large jar at Costco and measure it out.)
Water according to taco packet directions
10 oz. green enchilada sauce
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Garlic powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Optional Extras:

Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Sour cream
Chopped Cilantro

Optional Sides:

Salad
Mexican rice
Refried beans

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Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet on medium heat. Cook corn tortillas until slightly crispy. Fold over after thirty seconds in hot oil. Let simmer in oil on each side until lightly crisp.

Remove tortilla to paper towel lined plate. Repeat until you have enough taco shells that you need. Make a layer with paper towels every four-five tortillas. For my family of 4, I fry up 9. Turn off heat.

Cover tortillas with paper towel. Set aside.

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In a large skillet, brown meat over medium high heat. Add Worcestershire sauce, pinch of salt and garlic powder at this time.

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Mix taco seasoning and water.

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Break meat up with spatula until crumbly and brown. Turn heat to low. Add taco seasoning/water mixture. Use a potato masher to get meat more finely crumbled. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes repeating with the potato masher as needed.

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Turn off heat. Serve meat in taco shells with cheese and optional toppings. And serve with optional sides. I served these with rice and salad.

Now, save the rest of your taco meat for the next day in the refrigerator. You could also prepare the following recipe the same night and just refrigerate the whole casserole until the next day. I vary what I do based on how tired I am.

Taco Casserole

This is my sweet friend Bridgette’s recipe:

The next day,

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If you have a convection oven, 325 degrees.

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Take a small casserole dish and pour a small amount of enchilada sauce into the bottom. I prefer green.

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Layer tortillas on top of the sauce. I just tear mine to fit into the pan.

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Layer half of your leftover taco meat on top of the tortillas. Pour 1/3 of your enchilada sauce on top. Top with 1/3 of your cheese.

Repeat with the next layer, starting with tortillas.

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For the final layer. Start with tortillas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top. Pour remaining cheese on top.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake covered for 25 minutes. Uncover. Bake 5-10 minutes longer until cheese on top is completely melted and the edges of the casserole are bubbling.

Remove from oven. Turn off oven.

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This is how I served it up. Thank you Bridgette for this recipe! I love it!

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

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This recipe was another recipe I got from Pinterest. I have made it four times. It is a family favorite. I love to share recipes I have tried with you guys that I think are delicious. This recipe originated from the blog, “Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour.” What a cool name! The only thing I changed in her recipe, was I topped the adult bowls of pasta with chopped cilantro. Otherwise, simply click on the link above. You will not be disappointed. She came up with an amazing dish!

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The best part, besides the incredible taste of this dish, is it only takes about thirty minutes start to finish to prepare. I use rotisserie chicken (so simple). That is my kind of dish!

Here are the following pictures of the quick process:

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I used way too much olive oil! Use less than me!

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Please let me know if you make this! Do you have any recipes from Pinterest that I must try out? Please share!

I shared this on Savvy Southern Style

And My Romantic Home

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Have you had this at Chili’s Bar & Grill?

When given a choice of any restaurant in town to eat dinner at, my children will always pick Chili’s. Their favorite thing there is the chicken enchilada soup. I wanted to learn how to make it. I found this wonderful recipe from Joy at Lindsey’s Luscious, on pinterest. Let me quickly say I love this lady’s blog. She is humorous and warm. Her love of cooking is infectious…

Anyhoo, the best part about this soup is, it is made in a crockpot. It does not get any easier than that!

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I simply follow her instructions. Except:

I use diced rotisserie chicken.

I use eight tortillas, instead of six.

I also omit the cayenne pepper.

I use a stick blender before I add the chicken.

Serving with cilantro and tortilla chips is a must!

I buy the large block of velveeta. I use half and store the other half for another batch to make later. It is almost the same price as the smaller block. Plus, it stays fresh in the refrigerator for an ungodly amount of time.

My friend cannot use tomato based products in cooking for her family and makes this soup with green enchilada sauce instead of red. She says her and her family love it. I am anxious to try that as well.

The taste of this soup is indescribable, but I will try. It is creamy and spicy. The flavors tasting almost like a chicken enchilada, but with a cheesier smoother finish.

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I love this recipe so much.

When I type in “chicken enchilada soup” into my Weight Watcher’s points plus system, it says a cup of chicken enchilada soup is six points! I very much hope that is true. Well, I am going with that and sticking to it.

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This makes enough soup for my family to eat it two nights in a row. I am breaking down the total cost for my family’s pot of soup, excluding spices, because those are cheap. I add beans and corn when making this for my friends. That would add $2 to the total below. I do not add those ingredients when making the soup for my family:

1 rotisserie chicken $5
Enchilada sauce $2
Onion .50
Cilantro .33
1/4 bag of corn tortillas .40
Chicken stock $1.70
1/2 large block of velveeta $3
8 oz. tomato sauce .50
4 oz. shredded cheese $1
Sour cream .50
Tortilla chips $2

Total: $16.93

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Enjoy! Please let me know if you make this! Thank you, Lindsey for a fantastic recipe!