Chicken black beans salsa corn casserole doesn't sound that exciting, but it's a practical, filling, nutritious and delicious meal for our family.
Our off grid home is up a remote highway and down a rough private trail in Canada's subarctic Northwest Territories. So getting rid of waste we can't compost or burn is a pain.
We have to haul all of our garbage out to the dump that's a 40-minute drive away. So I've become more intentional about reducing our waste.
One way we do that is by using up our leftovers to create new dishes or follow recipes for new favorites, like these easy chicken taco cupcakes.
This chicken black beans salsa corn casserole recipe (I'll have to come up with a catchier name) is a great way to use up at least six ingredients we had left over at the end of the week. And it's a money saver too!
We eat chicken every week, and I'm always trying new recipes, like this amazing one for Marry Me Chicken. (Don't you love the name???)
It's low-calorie but packed with protein. Read more about chicken breast nutrition, or substitute in a different protein.
If you don't have all the listed ingredients on hand as leftovers, try incorporating whatever you do have. This recipe is all about utilizing what you do have and not letting anything go to waste.
(Tip: We often have leftover beans to use in different soups. Can't wait to try this black bean soup recipe the next time!)
You can substitute chicken for any other protein if you don't have chicken. No chili powder on hand? Try making your own homemade cajun seasoning and add that!
If you want to make a vegan-friendly dish, replace the chicken with lentils and use a dairy-free cheese substitute.
Love making casseroles from leftovers? I do too, especially when I need a hearty meal to feed a whole kitchen full of hungry kids.
We're looking forward to making this cowboy rice casserole this weekend. With cheese, tomatoes, peppers and chili powder, I know my gang will love it.
And if you have more leftover vegetables and think they'll pair well, add those too. You can't go wrong with this recipe.
Chicken Black Beans Salsa Corn Baked Casserole Recipe
Recipe
Chicken Black Bean Salsa Corn Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked cubed or shredded chicken
- 1 ½ cups salsa
- ½ onion diced
- 1 cup of corn
- 1 can black beans drained
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- 3-4 whole wheat gluten-free, or corn tortillas, cut into quarters
- ¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or any combination of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, and Mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Set oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large saucepan, saute diced onion in 1 tablespoon canola oil
- Add chicken, black beans salsa, corn, and tomatoes
- Stir until warmed
- Spoon ⅓ of the mixture into a 9 inch by 12 inch greased casserole dish
- Cover with tortilla pieces (may take 3 to 6 pieces depending on tortilla size)
- Sprinkle tortilla with Monterey Jack cheese
- Spread another ⅓ of chicken salsa black beans corn mixture over cheese. Cover with tortillas, and add sprinkle shredded cheese over this.
- Continue until all of the mixture, tortillas, and cheese have been used finishing with a final layer of chicken mixture covered with cheese.
- Bake at 375 for approximately 30 minutes or until cheese is nicely browned.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- For a creamier dish, reduce the salsa to 1 cup and add ½ cup of mayonnaise or Miracle Whip.
- For a vegetarian dish, replace the chicken with 1 cup of cooked lentils, or add ½ can more of black beans.
- I've also made this recipe using 1 cup of dried black beans, soaked for 12 hours first until they were tender. Learn how to cook dried beans to save even more money!
- Replace the chicken with 1 cup of ground beef or even shredded leftover roast beef.
- Add ½ cup of cooked sweet potato or squash
- Add ½ of a green, red, yellow, or orange pepper.
Nutrition
Looking for more great recipes to use up leftovers? Continue reading below.
