There’s nothing better than having a wonderful Thanksgiving feast and then enjoying the myriad leftovers for several days afterward. However, we all reach that point where we’ve had our fill and are ready for something completely different. And for me, it’s usually Mexican food. This is a new favorite that’s probably about as far removed from Thanksgiving fare as anything else I can think of -- a Tex-Mex-inspired chicken tortilla casserole.
I found this recipe late one weekday when I was tired and stressed and looking online for something I could fix for supper that not only wouldn’t require a trip to the grocery store but was something I could throw together pretty quickly. This seemed like the answer. It came together quickly and easily, made an attractive dish and my family and I loved it. I think it’s a good one to have in your back pocket for when you reach that point where everyone in your household is tired of the Thanksgiving leftovers. I found it at foodnetwork.com.
I’ll let you know upfront that I coined the name Chicken Tortilla Casserole for it because I found the original name -- Chicken Tortilla Dump Dinner -- to be rather unappealing. Having read the online reviews -- most of which said leave out the chicken broth as it makes it too runny, serve in a bowl due to excessive liquid, etc. -- I not only left out the chicken broth but opted to make a few other tweaks of my own. The recipe I’m sharing with you is the way I ended up preparing it. However, there were a number of additional suggestions in the reviews so I’ll include those in the notes at the end.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Stir together the diced tomatoes with chiles, chili powder, cumin and salt in a large bowl. Add the black beans, corn, chicken tortilla wedges and half the cheese and stir to evenly distribute and moisten all of the ingredients.
Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and spread into an even layer. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Remove the foil and sprinkle the top with remaining cheese. Continue to bake until the cheese is melted and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Top with dollops of sour cream and sprinkle with the red onion and cilantro. Serve hot.
My notes:
