I just got back from a honeymoon in Europe specifically Paris & Barcelona. I had not cooked for 2 whole weeks so wanted to make something easy my first night back home. I knew a casserole was the answer. I know it’s a pretty Minnesotan thing to make and not very fancy for my first night back home but it was quick & easy & delicious.
Seeing as how we hadn’t been home for 2 weeks I didn’t have very much to work with. Besides some whole chickens in the freezer, which would take forever to thaw, I had 1lb of ground chicken. I knew this was what I could work with. Based on my pantry & fridge ingredients I knew that an enchilada casserole was in store.
Casseroles get a lot of grief but they are truly a godsend. Yes, it often looks like dog food. It’s hard to photograph certain casseroles well. Don’t even try. Really. I used corn tortillas as well so nothing holds its shape. You don’t even have to make enchiladas. Just layer the tortillas, add the filling, top with more tortillas, and finally the sauce. It looks a mess but just enjoy the simplicity & the deliciousness of it.
Ground Chicken Enchilada Casserole (serves 4)
- 1 lb ground chicken
- taco seasoning
- 4oz cream cheese (I used light)
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1/2 cup chunky salsa, divided
- 4oz can diced green chilis
- 8 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- shredded cheddar cheese
Brown the ground chicken and add taco seasoning to taste. Add the cream cheese & stir over low heat until the cheese has melted & is thoroughly mixed with the meat. Add the black beans, 1/4 cup of the salsa, 1/2 of the green chills & stir to combine. I also added a tsp of ghost pepper salsa at this point for some extra heat.
Mix the can of cream of chicken soup with the rest of the salsa & green chilis. Spread a small amount over the bottom of a casserole dish (I did 2 smaller dishes so we would have another one to bake at a later date). Layer half of the tortillas in the dish (s) and top with the filling. Top with the rest of the tortillas. Finally, spread the sauce over the tortillas. Bake for 40 minutes at 400F and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes. Serve and enjoy!
