Chicken Enchilada Casserole (a.k.a. the easiest dinner ever!!)

My family had this casserole for dinner a couple of weeks ago and I have been anxiously waiting to share it! This is the easiest recipe, so easy that I only took 6 (SIX!!) pictures while I was making it!! I found this recipe on Jo Cooks, you can find it HERE. I found the recipe a little bland - it was tasty but just lacking a little something! In the future, I would chop up some avocado and serve the casserole with a little avocado and salsa on the side.

Start by cooking 1 cup of dry Basmati rice (to end up with 2 cups of cooked Basmati rice) and cooking 1-2 chicken breasts (I used 2 small chicken breasts). I boiled the chicken until it was cooked through then removed it from the boiling water and let it cool in a mixing bowl. Once the chicken is cooled, shred it using 2 forks.

Mix 1 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce into the shredded chicken.

Then, mix in 1 cup of refried beans.

Grate 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of Monterrey Jack cheese. Mix the 2 cheeses together and stir half of the cheese mixture into the shredded chicken.

Mix in the Basmati rice.

Transfer the the chicken and rice mixture to a casserole dish and top with 3/4 cups of corn kernels (i used frozen corn and the rest of the mixed cheeses.

Bake the casserole at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
serves 5-6 

ingredients
1 cup dry basmati rice
1-2 chicken breasts [depending on how much meat you want in the dish. I used 2 small chicken         breasts].
1 1/4 cup enchilada sauce (10 oz)
1 cup refried beans (8 oz)
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
3/4 cup corn kernels (I used frozen corn)
1 avocado, diced*
salsa*

directions
1. Shred the cooked chicken breasts in a medium mixing bowl once they are cooled.
2. Stir the enchilada sauce and the refried beans into the shredded chicken.
3. Grate the Cheedar cheese and the Monterrey Jack cheese - mix the 2 together. Stir half of the cheese mixture into the shredded chicken.
4. Stir the rice into the chicken.
5. Pour the chicken and rice mixture into a casserole dish.
6. Spread the corn evenly over the top of the chicken and rice mixture then top with the remainder of the cheese.
7. Bake the casserole for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The cheese should be golden and bubbling.
8. Let the casserole sit for about 5 minutes before serving it.

*Use the avocado and salsa as an optional garnish when you are serving the casserole.

Let me know if you have questions!