Chicken Caliente Casserole

Chicken Caliente Casserole

Recipe courtesy of Linda Coleman from Food Network

This is a great way to use up left over rice or vegetables you need to use - most veggies work great!

Ingredients:

Butter or non-stick cooking spray, for greasing casserole dish

2 1/2 cups large-diced cooked chicken (I usually substitute 1-2 cans of black beans for the chicken, or sometimes half chicken, half beans)

3 cups cooked rice (1 cup uncooked rice makes about 3 cups cooked rice)

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup sliced green bell pepper

1 cup sliced onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons fine salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I omit this as my children aren't fans of hot sauce - my husband adds his own anway!)

3 tomatoes, cut into wedges (can substitute a can of diced tomates)

1 1/2 cup corn chips, crushed

(I usually add 1 c shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese for the last 5 minutes of baking)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish (13” by 9” works great).

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except the chips and mix well. Transfer the mixture to the buttered dish, top with the chips, and bake until hot and bubbling, about 30 to 35 minutes. Serve immediately.