Chicken enchilada casserole, deconstructed!

When the weather outside is frightful, dinner can still be delightful!  Especially when a warm, comforting chicken enchilada casserole is on the menu!

I am not a lover of spicy foods, so I tend to tone down the heat level in this recipe.  But if you have a cast iron stomach, feel free to spice it up!

Chicken enchilada casserole

3 c. salsa, any heat level

2 c. tomato sauce

½ c. diced onion

½ c. diced red bell pepper

Optional:  1-2 jalapeno peppers, sliced and 

      deseeded to heat level desired

Two large cloves garlic, mashed or pressed

6-12 corn tortillas

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken

1 c. white beans, rinsed

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese  or Mexican cheese mix

Salt and pepper to taste

Pepper sauce to taste

In a bowl, mix together the salsa, tomato sauce, onion, peppers, and garlic.  Remove two cups and set aside.  Add the chicken and beans to the remaining sauce.  Add salt, pepper, and pepper sauce as desired. 

Spread approximately two tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Lay out a tortilla and place two to three teaspoons of the chicken bean mixture in the center. Tightly roll up the tortilla and placed it sealed side down in the baking dish.  Continue rolling tortillas until the baking dish is full.  Pour the reserved sauce over all of the enchiladas, and top with a generous helping of cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and just starts to brown.  Serve warm, with a spoonful of sour cream and/or additional salsa.

Chicken enchilada casserole, deconstructed!

3 c. salsa, any heat level 

>Health alert:  Commercial salsas contain varying amount of sugar, salt, or MSG.  If any of these ingredients are a concern, check the product label carefully.  In the alternative, control the ingredients and make your own! 

2 c. tomato sauce 

>Fat alert:  Some tomato sauces contain significant amounts of fat.  If fat is a concern, check the product label carefully.  In the alternative, puree whole, peeled tomatoes. 

>Health alert:  Commercial tomato sauces contain varying amounts of sugar, salt, or MSG. If any of these ingredients are a concern, check product labels carefully.  In the alternative, control the ingredients by making your own.  

½ c. diced onion

½ c. diced red bell pepper

Optional:  1-2 jalapeno peppers, sliced and deseeded to heat level desired

Two large cloves garlic, mashed or pressed

6-12 corn tortillas 

>Fat alert:  Some tortillas are fried, others are baked.  If fat is a concern, look for the baked variety.

>Health alert:  If corn is a dietary concern, any type of flour, vegetable, or gluten-free tortilla may be substituted. 

2 c. cooked, shredded chicken

1 c. white beans, rinsed

>Health alert:  Commercially prepared white beans can contain significant amounts of salt.  If salt is a dietary concern, it may be best to cook your own beans. 

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese  or a Mexican cheese mix

>Fat alert:  Cheese is high in fat.  Reduced and no-fat varieties are available. In the alternative, reduce the amount of cheese used.

>Ingredient alert:  The fat in cheese aids melting.  Not all reduced-fat cheese melts easily.  You may want to test any reduced-fat cheeses before using. 

>Health alert:  Cheese is made with salt.  If salt is a dietary concern, low-sodium varieties are available.

>Health alert: Cheese is a dairy product.  If this is a dietary concern, many soy and vegetable-based cheese are available.  However, make sure the cheese selected is "meltable." 

Salt and pepper to taste

Pepper sauce to taste

(Follow the instructions above.)