Leftover Chicken Southwest-Style Casserole

 

Leftover Chicken Southwest Style Casserole

Spice up that leftover chicken with this recipe!

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 2-3 cups leftover chicken, chopped
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese divided
  • 1/2 onion, chopped sauteed
  • 1 can Rotel, tomatoes and chilies
  • 1 can chilies
  • 2 tps Cholula hot sauce, to taste
  • 2 inch Ritz crackers, crumbled
  • 1 cup rotini pasta, uncooked
  • 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Spray 9 x 9 casserole dish with non-stick spray.

  3. Prepare pasta as per package directions, till al dente. Rinse and hold.

  4. In a large mixing bowl, add chicken, cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of cheese, onion, Rotel tomatoes and chilies, chilies, hot sauce, crumbled ritz crackers and pasta. Mix gently but thoroughly.

  5. Transfer to casserole dish.

    Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup Pepper Jack cheese.

  6. Put into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned.

  7. Remove from oven. Let sit for 5 minutes. Dinner is served!

  8. Serving suggestion: Asparagus with butter and a side lettuce salad.

I post recipes that our family actually eats! Why? Because no matter how good a homeschooling day you have, you (usually) still have to make something for dinner! I hope you enjoy this recipe.

You might also like: Rich Tomato Vegetable Soup to Keep You Warm and Keep Away the Munchies

Warm and Comforting Spinach Artichoke Dip

Let’s connect:

A good homeschooling mindset will change your perspective.

There are very good boxed all-in-one curriculums out there. I used mainly one curriculum: BJU Press Homeschool curriculum for all my kids K thru 12. It is a Christian curriculum. I knew some people that worked there and we really liked it. It is a curriculum where the subjects are integrated (like the spelling words are in the reading and science lessons.) You can do parent led where you teach or purchase the DVD’s or get the same material through the computer. For any of those ways, there are recommendations for grading or they do it for you. I love the BJU curriculum because they have thought of everything. Subjects are well put together, they list tons of extra resources if you need it and all the prep work is done. On day one, you teach lesson one, etc. So the value of that kind of complete curriculum was worth every penny to me. You can see their curriculum here.

ABOUT ELIZABETH ESTELLE

Elizabeth Estelle, homeschooling mom of four amazing children, and now a grandmother. She has been married to her college sweetheart for over 38 years. She loves the Lord, teaches, writes, mentors ladies, and likes to cook. She cleans as needed. In her spare time she enjoys teaching art. She led a homeschool co-op for 24 years. Now, she wants to encourage homeschooling families to persevere and be successful in their own homeschool adventure, kindergarten through high school.

Chicken Thighs on Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Spinach with Pepper Jack Cheese

 

Chicken Thighs on Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Spinach with Pepper Jack Cheese

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword chicken
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs bone removed and flattened
  • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes + 2 tbsp oil from the jar
  • 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 10 oz frozen spinach
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Marinade

  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp Italian mixed herbs
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a bowl.

  2. Using a barbecue brush, coat the chicken on both sides with the marinade. (Let this set for 10 minutes.)

  3. Meanwhile, microwave spinach for 6 minutes, drain and squeeze dry.

  4. Heat a non-stick frying pan to medium heat, adding 2 tbsp olive oil.

  5. When frying pan is medium-hot, add chicken thighs. Chicken should sizzle but not spit all over. When chicken is brown on one side (about 8 minutes), turn over. Check again at 6 and 8 minutes till done.

  6. Microwave spinach, chopped sun-dried tomatoes with a little drizzle of their oil, and pepper jack cheese for 2 minutes. Stir with fork. Cook and additional 2 minutes till hot and cheese is melted.

  7. Check chicken thighs with a meat thermometer. When the thickest part of the meat is 165°, it is done.

  8. Serve thighs on a bed of the delicious spinach/tomato/cheese mixture.

Recipe Notes

While this recipe is sometimes made with chicken breasts, we find the thighs much more flavorful. And by making it in a frying pan instead of the oven, it's a quick and easy dinner. Enjoy!