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Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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Let me first start this post by saying that I have never made such as mess cooking as I did with this recipe! I kept spilling ingredients, my counters were covered in flour and dirty pans, I forgot to add the egg whites, and lastly I did my layers all wrong. In the end, it still tasted really good so I guess that makes it a good one. And, we will be having leftovers for dinner tonight so one less day of cooking is always good : )

Next time I would definitely make this ahead of time and just keep it in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to cook. It takes a little too long to make on a week day if you are working. If you make this one, let me know if it was as messy for you as it was for me!

Cooking spray
1 1/4 pounds skinned, boned chicken breast
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 (2 1/4-ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, drained
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten or 6 tablespoons egg substitute
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut in half
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup salsa

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cook chicken over medium heat about 6 minutes on each side or until done. Shred chicken and set aside. Sauté onion and garlic 5 minutes or until tender. Add shredded chicken, red pepper, and tomatoes; cook 10 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates.

Reserve 1 tablespoon green onions and 1 tablespoon olives for garnish. Stir remaining green onions, remaining olives, and chiles into chicken mixture; set aside. Combine flour, salt, cumin, and coriander in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Place over medium heat; cook 7 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg whites, stirring constantly with whisk. Set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup white sauce in bottom of a 2 1/2-quart round casserole or soufflé dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 tortilla halves over sauce; top with 2 cups chicken mixture, 1/2 cup white sauce, and 1/2 cup cheese mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with sauce. Set remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture aside.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese mixture, reserved green onions, and reserved olives; bake an additional 5 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Jill G. Melton, M.S., R.D., Cooking Light, OCTOBER 1996

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