Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole
Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole is mega creamy, cheesy, and mildly spicy – the best dish to serve to a crowd! The simplicity of this dish is the fact that it may be made as a one-pan meal, in an oven-proof skillet or casserole dish.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time45 minutes mins
Total Time55 minutes mins
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chicken, Gluten Free, Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 519kcal
- 1 cup jasmine rice (or any long grain white or brown rice)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (cut into bite size pieces)
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup chicken stock (may need more or less)
- 1 cup salsa verde (or Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce)
- 1 1/2 cups Monterey jack cheese
Prepare the rice as directed on the package.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken and season with salt, pepper and cumin. Cook until no longer pink in the center, 5-7 minutes.
Add the cream cheese and continue to cook until it's melted and creamy.
Stir in the salsa verde and chicken stock. Your sauce shouldn't be too thick. If it is, gradually add more chicken stock to thin it out a little.
Stir in the cooked rice, then transfer to a 9-inch square baking dish (or equivalent). If you are using an oven-proof skillet, you can opt to leave it in the skillet. Top with the shredded Monterey Jack cheese and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
If you want to brown the cheese on top, remove the casserole from the oven and turn on the broiler. Place the casserole under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
Top with cilantro and/or jalapeno peppers and serve with slices of lime, sour cream and/or more salsa verde, if desired.
Tips and Techniques
- You can use any cut of boneless chicken that you like for this recipe. You can also use leftover or rotisserie chicken to make this recipe even quicker.
- Shred the cheese from a block for the best results. Pre-shredded bags of cheese have added starch which doesn’t melt as smoothly and may give your dish a bit of a grainy texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3-4 days.
** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 691mg | Potassium: 620mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 997IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 1mg