Southwestern Chicken Casserole

This is one of my favorite casseroles that I’ve come up with. There is just something so homey and delightful to me about a casserole. I make this one often because I usually have all or most of the ingredients on hand and it’s just so satisfying. This recipe is perfect for the day after you grill some chicken breasts. Just add an extra one and set it aside for the next night.

Southwestern Chicken Casserole

*Serves 2 generously
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:
- 1lb potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 large chicken breast (or two small), grilled
- ½ cup salsa verde
- 1 bell pepper, sliced (any color)
- ½ small onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2/3 cup black bean dip (or refried beans)
- 1 cup canned red beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon season salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1/3 cup chopped scallion
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Oil or additional butter for sautéing
- Cooking spray
- Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Add your diced potatoes to a pot of water and bring to a boil. Allow potatoes to cook until just before being fork tender. Once done, remove from heat and drain well.

2. While potatoes are cooking sauté peppers and onions over medium heat in a couple of tablespoons of oil or butter for about 10 minutes or until vegetables soften. Once done remove from heat and set aside.

3. In a small bowl mix together your red beans and bean dip.

4. In a separate sauté pan add potatoes, 2 tablespoons of butter, garlic powder, onion powder, and season salt. Cook over medium high heat for approximately 10 – 12 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. Add pepper to taste.

5. In a small casserole dish spray a small amount of cooking spray. Then layer: potatoes, bean mixture, sautéed veggies, chicken, salsa verde, cheese, and finally scallions.

6. Place in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and casserole is heated through.

Thoughts: OMG this dish is like southwest heaven. It’s not too spicy if you use mild salsa and beans, though you can use hot if you want! I usually opt for medium for just a little heat but not something that is going to overwhelm the entire dish. What really makes this dish are the bean mixture and the salsa. They make this dish creamy and satisfying. I know it’s not the prettiest dish, but trust me – the flavor makes up for it.

When we originally made this we were trying to replicate those breakfast skillets you can get for breakfast at many restaurants. We liked it so much we omit the eggs and eat it for dinner mostly now. BUT this is a pretty perfect brunch type meal. My suggestion would be to prep everything the night before except the eggs, store in the fridge in separate containers, and in the morning just assemble and adds your scrambled eggs on top before adding the cheese. I’d also knock the heat down to 350 and cook for about 10 additional minutes to make sure it’s completely heated through.