We spent a ton of time in Iowa this summer while I was on maternity leave, and I soaked up all of my mom’s delicious cooking! She made this casserole in July and I RAVED about it so much that she sent me home with the recipe!
I made it for the first time myself this past week and the two of us almost ate the whole thing in a single sitting! It was that good. In the future, I might try and make a double batch so we can enjoy the leftovers.
Ingredients
2 cups chicken breast, chopped (16 ounces, or 1 package of chicken)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1.5 cups chopped yellow or white onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped poblano
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 t. ground cumin
2 tbsp. flour
1 c. chicken broth
2 ounces cream cheese (yum!)
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
2 (6-inch) corn tortillas, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, chopped
I cut down on my cook time for this recipe by chopping all my vegetables while the baby was taking her nap. If you want to chop all your veggies before cooking though, do that first thing.
I already had that step done though, so I started by preheating my broiler to high. You’ll only end up using your broiler for a few minutes but mine takes AGES to heat up, so I like to get it started first thing.
Then, heat 1 tbsp. of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet (I used cast-iron). Cook your chicken for 7-9 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Add the other tbsp. of the olive oil, and cook until shimmering. Then add in the onion, bell pepper, and poblano, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until nice and soft. Stir occasionally so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Then add in your garlic and cumin, and cook for another minute or so until your kitchen smells delicious.
Then, sprinkle the flour over all the veggies, and toss until they are nice and coated. Add in the broth, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to combine. Add in the cream cheese and stir until nice and melty. Then add your chicken and all the delicious chicken juices back into the pan, along with the tomatoes, tortilla pieces, and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle the pan evenly with cheese, and pop into the oven under the broiler.
Broil for 2-4 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and browned.
Top with cilantro and avocado and serve!
OH MY GOSH THIS WAS SO GOOD. Hands down one of my favorite recipes that I’ve made in months! Big thanks to my Mom for the recipe.
Nichelle Ley, Chef J.D. 