Monday, June 8, 2009

Chicken Taco Casserole (4)

This is one of my family's favorite casserole dishes and so easy to make. I'm known as "The Casserole Queen" by my kids, coming from some very tight times when I was first diagnosed with MS and battling cancer at the same time, not working and having no income. I could make a casserole out of some pretty amazing things!

This one is not my own work, it's one I played with after joining Weight Watcher's because we loved it so much I had to figure out a way to make it healthier & better for us but not lose the flavor! Bisquick, the reduced fat version, is one of my favorite casserole helpers too!

Chicken Taco Casserole (4)
8 servings

1 lb ground chicken breast skinless*
1 1/4 C fat-free milk
1/2 C onions, chopped
3/4 C egg whites, slightly beaten
1/2 c bell peppers, chopped
3/4 c low-fat baking mix (bisquick makes a reduced fat mix)
1 1/4 ozs taco seasoning mix
4 ozs Monterey Jack cheese, shredded *Use the Cabot brand reduced fat jalapeno cheddar cheese for even fewer calories/fat, shred it yourself or slice it up thin (that's what I do)
4 ozs canned green chiles, diced

Preheat oven to 400F.
Prepare a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside.
In a skillet, cook chicken, onions, and bell peppers until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in seasoning mix.
Spread into prepared dish.
Sprinkle with chiles.
In a small bowl, combine milk, egg whites, and baking mix.
Mix until smooth.
Pour over chiles in dish.

Bake for 25 minutes.
Top with cheese.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
Cool five minutes before serving.

*can add a dollop of fat free sour cream on top, don't forget to add the points for it!

Nutritional Info per serving (8 servings total)
Calories 203
Total Fat 6 g* (less if you use the Cabot cheese!)
Fiber 1 g

Use your imagination with this! If your family loves broccoli, add some broccoli to the dish! If they like a "Southwestern" touch, a can of corn can add a little flavor! Just remember to add points if needed but generally if it's a veggie, no points are added but extra flavor and texture is!

Rather than purchasing "ground chicken", which often is NOT all white meat and can be higher in fat, put 3 single chicken breasts in your food processor to make ground chicken. It works really well. I also seasoned the chicken while it was cooking with salt, pepper and garlic. To make it easier, grind up chicken after cooking.