Load up for the trails ahead with a dinner designed to dish out the good stuff! Side-Saddle Casserole is a Tex-Mex-inspired bake with plenty of vibrant salsa, spicy chili powder, and sweet peppers, all of which elevate the tender chicken, garden-fresh spinach, and melted Monterey Jack cheese. This is a trusty steed of scrumptious taste, ready to get your tastebuds ready for whatever wildness lies ahead. Let Side-Saddle Casserole show you how the Wild West tastes!
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 12 ounces chicken breast strips
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup red or green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 1/2 cups salsa
- 4 (6-inch) corn tortillas, coarsely torn
- 3 ounces reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Optional, for serving:
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered or chopped
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- corn chips, baked tortilla chips, or broken taco shells, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Coat a 2-quart square baking dish and an unheated large nonstick skillet with cooking spray.
Step 3 –Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 4 –In a medium bowl, toss the stir-fry chicken strips, the garlic, and the chili powder together.
Step 5 –Add the chicken strips to the hot skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 4-6 minutes.
Step 6 –Transfer the chicken from the skillet.
Step 7 –Add the canola oil to the skillet.
Step 8 –Add the onion and the bell pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 9 –Stir in the spinach.
Step 10 –Spread about 1/2 cup of the salsa in the prepared baking dish.
Step 11 –Top the salsa layer with 1/2 of the tortilla pieces, 1/2 of the chicken mixture, and 1/2 of the veggie mixture.
Step 12 –Pour 1/2 of the remaining salsa over the vegetables.
Step 13 –Top the salsa layer with 1/2 of the Monterey Jack cheese.
Step 14 –Repeat the layers once using the remaining tortilla pieces, the remaining chicken mixture, the remaining veggie mixture, and the remaining salsa; do not top with the remaining cheese yet.
Step 15 –Cover and bake the dish until heated through, about 30-35 minutes.
Step 16 –Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.
Step 17 –Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes.
Step 18 –Serve with the cherry tomatoes, the avocado, and the chips.
