Southwestern Chicken Casserole – Pure Comfort Food With a Little Heat!

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casserole, Chicken, Cooking, Food, pasta, recipe

I made this recipe on the fly the other night and it was a complete hit with my husband and I! It had a ton of flavor with just the right amount of heat. The creamy sauce prevented it from being overly spicy. And this was a great way to use the leftover chicken I had from roasting a whole chicken earlier in the week. A store bought rotisserie chicken could also be used.

Southwestern Chicken Casserole

4 servings

8 oz. penne pasta

1 tbsp oil

1/2 lb. shredded cooked chicken

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 large jalapeño, finely diced

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup sour cream

1 4 oz can diced green chilies

1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded and divided

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp hot Hungarian paprika

1/2 tsp garlic salt

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil pasta in salted water for 8 minutes. It will continue to cook when you bake the casserole. Drain maintaining pasta water for possible use.

In an oven safe frying pan or braiser, add oil and over medium heat sauté the onions, bell pepper, jalapeño and corn until softened. Stir in cream of chicken soup, broth and sour cream. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Stir in chicken, green chiles, black beans, 1/2 cup of pepper jack cheese and seasonings. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in drained pasta. If sauce is too thick, add some of your reserved pasta water. Mix until pasta is incorporated. Top with remaining 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Oregano Chicken with Fresh Tomato & Balsamic Sauce – DELICIOUS and low fat!!!

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balsamic, Chicken, Cooking, entree, Food, healthy, low-fat, main dish, oregano, Poultry, recipe, tomato

Oregano Chicken with Fresh Tomato & Balsamic Sauce

I think chicken is my favorite protein to cook with! It’s so versatile, healthy and just delicious! This dish was even more delicious than what I expected going in. I want to make it again, so I told myself I definitely needed to blog this recipe. Because yes, I do cook from my own blog! LOL! They are recipes that I loved enough to take the time to document and photograph, so in my book that means they’re worth revisiting!

Oregano Chicken with Fresh Tomato and Balsamic Sauce

Serves 4 people

Cooking time: 45 minutes

4 chicken thighs (I used bone-in with skin removed, as they add more flavor, but you could do boneless and reduce cooking time)

2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

2 tsp avocado or olive oil

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (I buy the multicolored heirloom cherry tomatoes. Delicious!!!)

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine (Only use wine you would drink. If it’s not good enough for drinking, it’s not good enough for cooking!)

2 tsp capers, drained

2 tbsp lemon juice

Add oil to non-stick frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Season one side of chicken with 1/2 of salt and rosemary and add to pan, seasoned side down. Season other side of chicken. Brown chicken on each side for about 2-3 minutes per side. When browned but not cooked all the way through, remove to plate and stick in a 350 oven while you continue cooking sauce.

Turn the heat on your frying pan down to medium-low and add garlic and shallots (You don’t want to burn your garlic! It turns bitter, ruins your dish and that pan is done!) stir until shallots are softened. Add vinegar and cook until mostly evaporated, scrapping the bottom of the pan while it cooks to get the yummy stuff off the bottom and into your sauce.

Stir in tomato halves, capers, chicken broth, wine, lemon juice and a little more salt and pepper to taste. Stir and simmer until well mixed. Add your chicken back in to the plan and turn to coat with sauce. Cover the pan and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes, turning chicken once, until chicken registers at least 165 degrees with a meat thermometer.

This is great served over rice! The sauce is fabulous, so you want something to soak up that goodness!!! I paired it with some artichokes cooked with lemon and garlic. So good!!!

I hope you enjoy!!!