Recipe Background
Green Chicken Casserole is your go-to dish for impressing guests with minimal fuss and maximum flavor.
Embarking on my first solo venture into the realm of adulthood was a proud yet daunting affair. The apartment was a cozy, albeit eclectic mix of thrifted finds reflecting years of scavenger hunts. I had just settled in when an invitation to Sunday brunch with my in-laws marked its calendar debut. Eager to impress, yet aware of my limited culinary space, I turned to a comforting green chicken casserole. Rotisserie chicken was already my go-to for quick yet hearty meals, and that day, it proved its worth once again.
Inside the kitchen, I orchestrated a harmony of ingredients. Salsa verde brought a zesty whisper to the concoction, its easy availability easing the ritual slightly. I sprinkled cumin and chili powder with a flourish that made me chuckle inwardly, thinking how effortlessly these spices transform dishes. The key, as I discovered, was to spread the salsa first, creating a flavorful base that invited the rest to follow. Once baked, the bubbling layer of Monterey Jack sealed the deal, adding a pleasingly golden touch.
As we settled around the makeshift dining nook, conversation blossomed over the elegant simplicity of the dish. I was proud to share it had been seasoned with both confidence and a hint of homespun charm. My advice to anyone attempting this? Always let it cool a bit—it pays in flavor dividends. That day was more than a brunch; it was a nod to adaptability and the gentle art of crafting new beginnings.
Ingredients
- 3 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 2 1/2 cups salsa verde store-bought or homemade, divided
- 1 (15-ounce) black beans drained
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese divided
- salt to taste
- 9 flour tortillas fajita-size
- avocado to taste, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, add the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the salsa verde, the black beans, the garlic powder, the cumin, the chili powder, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, 1 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, and the salt and stir to combine.
- Spread 3/4 cup of the salsa verde over the bottom of a cast-iron skillet.
- Add 3 tortillas in a single layer over the salsa verde layer. It is okay for the tortillas to overlap a bit and they don't have to cover the bottom.
- Add 1/2 of the chicken mixture over the tortilla layer and top with 3 more of the tortillas in a single layer.
- Top the tortilla layer with 3/4 cup of the salsa verde and cover with the remaining chicken mixture.
- Top the chicken mixture with the remaining tortillas, the remaining salsa verde, and sprinkle with the remaining Monterey Jack cheese.
- Bake the chicken casserole until it is hot and bubbly and the cheese is golden-brown, about 18-20 minutes.
- Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack and let the chicken casserole cool, about 10 minutes.
- Serve the chicken casserole garnished with the extra cilantro and the avocado.
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