Side-Saddle Casserole

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.