casserole

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole

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I don’t know about you all but I am always looking for something new and different to feed my family for dinner. We love a variety of things at our house. We are eclectic eaters! One of the things we love are jalapeño poppers, so I decided to create a casserole out of one of our favorite flavors. This one is a hearty, flavorful casserole. If your family likes a little spicier, add an extra jalapeño. It’s certainly not the same old, same old boring casserole. You and your family will love it! ~Kathy

6 chicken breasts

2 T. butter, divided 

3 medium sized jalapeños, julienned, ribs and seeds removed

3 green onions, chopped

1 (10 1/2 oz) can cream of chicken soup

1 T. milk

1 c. Philadelphia Chive and Onion Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

pepper & salt to taste

2 c. cheddar cheese, grated, divided

5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped

 

Grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F.

Dice chicken into 1” pieces. In large skillet, over medium-high heat, place 1T. butter. Brown chicken quickly in skillet, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Remove to plate. Sauté jalapeño and green onion in remaining 1 T. butter until crisp tender.

Place chicken in casserole dish, top with vegetables.

For sauce combine soup, milk, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix in 1 c. of cheddar cheese. Spoon over chicken and vegetables. Top with crumbled bacon.

Bake covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and top with remaining 1 c. of cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Mexican Chicken Cornbread Bake

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I saw a meme the other day that compared cooking during this time of “social distancing” to an episode of Chopped.  That could not be more accurate.  When I schedule and pick up my grocery order, only half of what I ordered is actually in stock, so my pantry is a random assortment of ingredients.  I stand there and stare, trying to figure out what I can put together to make an actual meal.  If you are doing the same, I have a good, pantry-and-freezer-friendly Mexican dish for you.  I know you’re all missing Mexican food right now, so here ya go.  If you lucked out and got chips in your grocery order, that would be great with this too… a real Mexican feast!  ~Erin

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 4 large breasts or 5 medium):  I sprinkle the breasts with 1 tsp. each of chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and garlic powder; then bake or grill until fully cooked, let the meat rest/cool a few minutes and then chop.  Store in the fridge if made in advance.

1 (10 oz.) can Old El Paso red enchilada sauce, mild

1 (10 oz.) can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chilies, mild

1 ½ c. yellow corn kernels

8 oz. (2 small cans) Hatch chopped green chiles

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. ground cumin

1 (8.5 oz) package dry Jiffy corn muffin mix (or other cornbread mix – I prefer a sweet cornbread mix)

1 egg

½ c. reduced-fat Mexican shredded cheese, divided

½ c. unsweetened cashew or almond milk (skim milk will work too)

2 T. chopped pickled jalapenos

Chips and salsa, optional – for serving

 

Cook and chop seasoned chicken (see notes on first ingredient); set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Spray a deep casserole dish (slightly smaller than a 9X13) with nonstick spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together:  enchilada sauce, Ro-Tel, corn, green chiles, 1 tsp. chili powder, and ½ tsp. cumin.  Add 4 cups chopped chicken and stir to coat.  Spread evenly into casserole dish.

In a small bowl, stir together:  dry cornbread mix, milk, egg, chopped jalapenos, and half of the cheese (about ¼ c.).  Pour mixture evenly over the chicken mixture.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

WW Info:  This recipe makes 8 servings.  Green plan – 9 points per serving; Blue plan – 6 points per serving; Purple plan – 6 points per serving

Chicken and Tomato Crumble Casserole

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I got this recipe from Tracy, and it’s one of the very first things I made on my own often.  As a sophomore in high school, I would have won the state level A-OK Cookoff with this dish had I not been marked down because I didn’t properly contrast my plate with the color of the meal (I’ve improved my presentation since then, my dear Home Ec. teacher — it’s Family & Consumer Sciences now — at the time would be proud to know, God rest Deanne Pence’s soul).  I had even learned how to make garnish roses out of tomato skin for the occasion, a skill I have since lost, but that’s okay because I think I was over-relying on those to get me through on the presentation category.  I got the highest marks in taste though, which is always most important to me!  The tomato is just the little bit of acidic kick this chicken needs to contrast with the creamy soup and the crunchy buttery topping.

It’s such a great comfort food dish that it’s the first thing I chose to cook for Barry when we were first dating.  I don’t have a picture of that date, but here’s Valentine’s Day just a couple weeks earlier (yes, my hair was made for the 90s); now our 18th anniversary is just around the corner, and we’ve cooked more than a few meals for each other.

I make this dish year-round, but I like it best when I have fresh garden tomatoes from the farmer’s market. Now is the time to give it a try! ~Robin

Ingredients:  

  • 2 lbs. of chicken breast
  • 8 slices of American cheese (Kraft 2% slices)
  • 2 10.5 cans of cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • Pepperidge Farms Herb Seasoned Dressing (Dry bag of breadcrumbs)
  • 1 stick of salted butter
  • White rice (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat dressing crumbs lightly before opening the bag to create fairly consistently sized crumbs.  In a large microwave safe bowl, melt butter, then add the whole bag of crushed stuffing and stir to soak all crumbs with butter.  Set aside.

Slice tomato as you would for a burger (or maybe a bit thicker) and set aside.

Trim fat from chicken and cut into chunks (about one inch cubes).

Place chicken evenly across the bottom of a 9×13” pan.  Add salt and pepper.

Cover chicken with soup and salt lightly again.  Then lay cheese over the top of the soup evenly across the pan.  It will fit about 8 slices.  On top of each piece of cheese, place a slice of tomato.  Finally, spread dressing crumble over the top.

Bake for about one hour; keep a close eye on the topping. I usually have to cover the top of the dish with foil after about 15 or 20 minutes to keep it from getting overly browned.

This dish may be served over rice, but I prefer it on its own myself.

WW Info.:  This serves 8 really generous portions at 14 points each.  This is more of a point splurge than I normally do, but in my book it’s well worth saving some points.  (Does not include optional rice.)

Beef Tamale Pie

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October is a big month in my family.  My birthday is Saturday, and so is Mom’s.  Then Dad’s is 4 days later.  Lots of celebrating to do!  To top it all off, we take our annual sisters’ trip in October.  Can. Not. Wait!  Yes, October is a fun, busy month.

With all of that happening, we won’t be home much on the weekends, which is when I do the majority of my cooking.  Without my big weekend meal prep sessions, I’ll need quick dinners I can whip up after work.

This is one of those easy, speedy meals, prepped and in the oven in very little time.  It’s certainly easier than making actual tamales but just as tasty!  ~Erin

Beef Tamale Pie from Four Sisters Dish

Ingredients:
  • 1 ½ c. yellow cornmeal
  • ½ c. all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 c. hot tap water
  • 1 egg
  • 3 T. light butter, melted (I use Land O’ Lakes Light)
  • ½ lb. 96% lean ground beef
  • ½ medium onion, optional
  • 1 (16 oz.) jar fat-free chunky salsa
  • 1 (15.5 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 ½ tsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • ¾ c. reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheddar cheese
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Spray a deep-dish pie plate with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. You can use a 9×13 pan instead, your layers will just be thinner.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk.
  4. Add hot water, melted butter, and egg to the cornmeal mixture; whisk until well-combined.
  5. Pour the cornmeal batter into the bottom of the pan and spread evenly; set aside.
  6. Cook the beef and onion (if using) in a large skillet over medium heat, until beef is no longer pink.
  7. Add the salsa, beans, garlic powder, chili powder, and ground cumin; stir to combine.
  8. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and stir until heated through.
  9. Spoon the meat mixture over the cornmeal batter to within half an inch of the edge.
  10. Bake 20-25 minutes, until crust is set.
  11. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cheese.
  12. Let stand 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
  13. Cut into wedges and serve with additional salsa, if desired.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 8 servings. Each serving is 6 points.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

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If you are anything like me you are always on the lookout for shortcuts in the kitchen.  In college, I used to religiously watch Sandra Lee on the Food Network show “Semi-Homemade.”  I loved that show!  Did anyone else watch that?  Her recipes seemed doable for the novice cook I was in my college days.  Frankly, I’m still not a pro, though I do know my away around the kitchen much more so than I did back then.  What I loved about Sandra’s cooking was that she uses some tips and tricks to make her recipes faster and with fewer ingredients.  Ain’t nobody got time to make everything from scratch.  Well, sometimes I do, but not on a school night.  “From scratch” recipes are for weekends.

Speaking of school nights, my kids started back to school recently.  Aren’t they cute?  I just love first day of school pictures!

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Coincidentally, I also started working full time at a new job the same week.  I haven’t worked full time in 10 years so this is going to be a big adjustment for our family.  One such adjustment is going to be with my meal-prep and weekday supper planning.

This is one of the recipes I have adapted to be semi-homemade.  Plus, it can be pre-prepped and thrown in the oven in minutes.  That’s my kind of week day supper!  Pop it in the oven and help the kids with homework while it cooks.  Meals like this are a life saver, I tell ya.  In the words of Sandra Lee, “Keep it simple, keep it smart, keep it semi-homemade.”   Couldn’t have said it better myself.  ~Erin

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole from Four Sisters Dish

Ingredients:
  • 5-6 cups (about 6 breasts) cooked and chopped boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I boiled them.)
  • 2 cups (12 oz.) smoked or baked ham, chopped
  • 1 (15 oz.) jar Classico Light Alfredo
  • 3 T. Dijon mustard
  • 12 slices (about 4.25 oz) Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss cheese
  • 2 c. Progresso Garlic & Herb breadcrumbs, divided
  • 1/3 c. shredded (not grated) parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. garlic salt
  • 2 T. Land o’ Lakes Light butter, melted
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions:  

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray a 9”x13” casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the chopped cooked chicken and ham with the alfredo sauce and mustard; stir well.
  4. Pour half the mixture into the casserole dish; spread into an even layer.
  5. In a medium bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the garlic salt and melted butter; continue to work the butter into the crumbs until it resembles wet sand.
  6. Sprinkle a ½ cup of the breadcrumb mixture over the chicken/ham mixture.
  7. Top with the remaining chicken/ham mixture, a single layer of Swiss cheese slices, and the rest of the breadcrumbs.
  8. Spray the top of the breadcrumbs lightly with cooking spray to ensure even browning.
  9. Bake until bubbly and hot, about 40-45 minutes.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 8 servings. Each serving is 9 points.

Poppy Seed Chicken – Lightened Up

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This casserole is great when you don’t have a lot of time to prep a meal.  I made this over the weekend and spent very little time in the kitchen.  I mean, I’d rather be in the kitchen than doing what I was doing, which was dusting the wooden blinds.  (Fun! – not)  How those things gather so much dust so fast is beyond me.  Anywho, I was able to boil my chicken while I dusted away.  After shredding the chicken and quickly mixing up the other ingredients, it was back in the oven while I dusted some more.  Easy for busy days.

This casserole is good comfort food for post-dusting tiredness.  Buttery Ritz topping?  Sign me up!  That’s the best part so don’t skimp on it.  My husband likes it over rice but, in my opinion, that detracts from the flavor so try it on its own first.  Pair it with some roasted veggies or a salad and BAM, you’ve got a good meal on the table.  ~Erin

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Ingredients:
  • 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 cans (10.5 oz each) Campbell’s Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 1 ½ c. plain, fat free yogurt (regular or Greek)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 T. poppy seeds
  • 50 Ritz Crackers
  • 4 T. light butter, melted (I use Land O’ Lakes Light.)
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions: 

  1. Boil or bake the chicken until cooked through; shred or chop and set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  3. In a medium size bowl, mix together cream of chicken soup, yogurt, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, and poppy seeds. Add chicken & stir until well combined.
  4. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray and spread chicken/soup mixture evenly in the pan.
  5. In a small bowl or a gallon zip lock baggie, crush the Ritz crackers and mix with the melted butter.
  6. Sprinkle the buttered cracker crumbs evenly over the top of the chicken & soup mixture.
  7. Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until hot & bubbly and the crackers are golden brown.

WW Freestyle Info.: This makes 6 servings. Each serving is 8 points.

Mexican Chicken Lasagna

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Sometimes a change from the classics is a good thing.  Variety is the spice of life, right?  I LOVE a good, classic, tomato-y lasagna!  Well this is an upgraded, creamy, flavorful chicken version of lasagna.  Low-cal it is not, but it is comfort food at its finest.  I used rotisserie chicken, so this goes together in a flash.  Everyone at the table will be asking for seconds of this one!   ~Kathy

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Preheat oven to 375˚F.

In a bowl, season shredded chicken with cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper.  Stir in onion, green chilies, salsa verde and ¾ c. pepper jack cheese.  Combine well.

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In the bottom of a baking dish, spread a small amount of the chicken mixture.

Top with layer of lasagna noodles which have been pre-moistened with water (I just run them under a slightly running faucet).  Spread with another layer of the chicken mixture.  Spoon or pour Crema Mexicana over the entire layer, paying close attention not to skimp around the edges.  Drizzle about 1 ½ T. of chicken broth on each layer.  Top with a layer of shredded Mozzarella and pepper jack.

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Continue building casserole alternating between layers of dampened noodles, green chili-chicken mixture, Crema Mexicana, chicken broth and shredded cheeses.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue baking another 5-10 minutes until cheese on top has melted and the entire casserole is bubbling and hot.  Allow the casserole to rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

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We were raised Catholic, so growing up in our house meant fish on Fridays during Lent. I can still hear young Tracy groaning, even in my memories. Ha!! She hates all things seafood related. Luckily, I like it. One of my favorite dishes to make on Lenten Fridays is this Tuna Noodle Casserole. It reminds me of a something my mom made when we were kids so, for me, it’s comfort food…creamy and cheesy with a crunchy breadcrumb topping. Yum! And honestly, the albacore tuna in this is so mild, I’m confident that even fish-hating folks like Tracy will like it! I’ll serve it to her next time she visits and report back. 😉  ~Erin

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Ingredients:

12 oz. uncooked egg noodles (I use No Yolks brand.)

3 pouches (2.6 oz. each) low sodium, white albacore tuna (I use Starkist brand.)*

2 cans (10 ½ oz. each) condensed 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup

1 can (10 ½ oz.) condensed cream of celery soup

1 c. fat free shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup chopped green onion (OR desired amount of frozen green peas, thawed)

1 c. panko breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. salt

Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cook the egg noodles according to package directions, drain & set aside.

Spray a 9”x13” casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine tuna, soups, cheese, noodles, salt, and green onions; spread mixture evenly in prepared casserole dish.

In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs together with olive oil; sprinkle evenly over tuna/noodle mixture.

I like to lightly spray the top with a bit more cooking spray, just to make sure it browns well, but that step is optional.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown and bubbly.

Weight Watchers info:  This makes 8 servings at 8 SmartPoints each on Freestyle.

Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole

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This is the easiest (and tastiest) unstuffed cabbage casserole ever.  Why?  No cabbage chopping/shredding required!  Instead, I take the short-cut of using bagged cole slaw mix to cut down on prep time. Ain’t nobody got time to hand-shred cabbage.  ~Erin

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Ingredients:

  • 2 bags (16 oz. each) tri-color cole slaw mix (shredded cabbage & carrots)
  • 1 ½ T. minced garlic, divided
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 2 ½ tsp. salt, divided
  • 1 ¼ tsp. black pepper, divided
  • 1 lb. 96% lean ground beef
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. oregano
  • 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (15 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 3 cups shredded low moisture, part skim mozzarella
  • Crushed red pepper flakes for serving, optional

Instructions:

Cook brown rice according to package directions; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large, high-sided skillet, saute both bags of cole slaw mix in 1 T. olive oil until it’s wilted to about half its size (about ten minutes), stirring occasionally.  Add 1 ½ tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper in the process of stirring.

Remove from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, cook the ground beef and onion with 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, and ½ T. minced garlic until browned; then drain beef.  

Add thyme, paprika, and oregano and cook until fragrant (about a minute).  Add canned tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer on low for about 10 minutes.  

Add 2 cups cooked brown rice and stir to combine.  

Spray a 9×13 in. casserole dish with cooking spray.  Layer ingredients starting with half the coleslaw cabbage, then half the meat/tomato/rice mixture, and one cup cheese.  Repeat with the last half of cabbage, then meat/tomato/rice mixture but reserve the 2 cups of remaining cheese.

Bake for 25 or until hot and bubbly. Spread the top evenly with the remaining 2 cups of cheese.  Cook for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.  Sprinkle each serving with red pepper flakes, if desired.

WW Freestyle Info.:  This makes 8 servings at 7 points each.

Weight Watchers Info.: This makes 8 servings at 7 Freestyle points per serving.Weight Watchers Info.: This makes 8 servings at 7 Freestyle points per serving.

Pimento Chile Chicken

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This Mexican flavored dish is rich and flavorful without being heavy. Mom snagged this recipe from her good friend (and my Godmother) Joyce, and it’s been one of the few things I’ve made regularly since I left for college – so good and so easy! The chiles aren’t too spicy so it can serve a crowd with varied spice tolerances. I like this piled up with pickled jalapeños and my favorite salsa. ~Robin

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ c. cooked, chopped chicken breast (chopped into about 1/2” cubes
  • ½ c. fat free chicken broth
  • 1 ½ c. 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup (I use Campbell’s)
  • 1 ½ c. Healthy Request Condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1 4-oz. jar pimentos, drained (1/2 c.)
  • 2 4-oz. cans Hatch green chiles, chopped and drained (You can add a 3rd can if you’re just crazy about chiles like I am.)
  • 10 oz. 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
  • 6 oz. of Doritos (by weight) toasted corn tortilla chips, slightly crushed
  • Pickled jalapeños, green onions, and/or cherry tomatoes for serving (optional)

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Instructions:

Mix all ingredients except Doritos and cheese. In a large casserole dish (I use 9” x 13”), layer ½ of chicken mixture, then ½ of cheese, then ½ of the Doritos.  Repeat the same layers once more, ending with Doritos on top.  Bake at 350° for about 40-45 minutes.  Cover top with foil if Doritos begin to brown too much.  Serve with pickled jalapeños and/or your favorite salsa.

Weight Watchers Info.:  6 points per serving in the new Freestyle plan; makes 8 servings.