Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole (Print version)
Layered chicken, salsa verde, black beans, corn and melted Monterey Jack baked with corn tortillas for a tangy Tex-Mex meal.
# What you'll need:
→ Protein & Dairy
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
02 - 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
03 - 1 cup sour cream
→ Vegetables & Condiments
04 - 1 (16 oz) jar salsa verde
05 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
06 - 1 ½ cups frozen or canned corn kernels, drained if necessary
07 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Starches
09 - 10 small corn tortillas, cut into strips
→ Seasonings
10 - 1 tsp ground cumin
11 - ½ tsp chili powder
12 - ½ tsp salt
13 - ¼ tsp black pepper
→ Optional Toppings
14 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - 1 avocado, sliced
16 - Lime wedges for serving
# How to make it:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, red onion, garlic, half of the Monterey Jack cheese, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until evenly mixed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the salsa verde and sour cream until smooth and well blended.
04 - Spread a thin, even layer of the salsa verde sauce mixture across the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
05 - Arrange half of the corn tortilla strips evenly over the sauce. Spread half of the chicken filling over the tortillas, then drizzle with additional salsa verde sauce.
06 - Repeat the layering with the remaining tortilla strips, the rest of the chicken filling, and the remaining salsa verde sauce.
07 - Sprinkle the remaining Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
08 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden on top.
10 - Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh cilantro, avocado slices, and lime wedges if desired. Serve warm.
# Expert suggestions:
01 -
- It tastes like you spent hours but the oven does most of the work while you pour yourself a drink.
- The layers of creamy salsa verde sauce and melted cheese create this impossible comfort food magic that even picky eaters cannot resist.
02 -
- Do not skip the resting time or the casserole will slide apart into a messy puddle on your serving spoon.
- Cut the tortilla strips fairly narrow because wide strips tend to clump together instead of creating those nice layered textures.
03 -
- Warm the salsa verde slightly before mixing with sour cream so it blends smoothly without any cold lumps.
- Use the most flavorful salsa verde you can find because that single ingredient determines the personality of the entire dish.