Cheesy Chicken, Rice and Corn Casserole

So, this is how the conversation went. Me: "What do you want for dinner?" Him: "Something kind of Mexican...with corn in it."

I wanted to cook out of my pantry, so I plugged in a couple of ingredients and came up with this, from what happens to be one of my favorite blogs: Christy Jordan's Southern Plate.

I had seen several variations on this, most without chicken, but I wanted it to be a main dish. I also used Mexicorn...you know, for that specified Mexican component (plus, it added some color).

My oven happened to go out last night, so I cooked the rice in the microwave, assembled the casserole, and headed next door to my sweet neighbor's house to bake in the oven...and I made him a healthy serving as a thank-you.

This had just the right amount of kick...and comfort food to the hilt. It was a huge hit!

Printable recipe

1 bag Mahatma spicy saffron yellow rice mix
1 stick butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Mexicorn, drained
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese


Cook rice according to package directions and transfer to casserole dish. Add butter in pieces and stir until melted. Add remaining ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

So...this one's on me. I was standing in the Mexican aisle at the grocery store, picking up ingredients for this dish, courtesy of Emily Bites. I saw the can of diced chiles it called for...and then saw a can of diced jalapenos next to it. I thought, a) we like spicy food, b) I can never really taste chiles in recipes anyway, and c) go for the kick.

You bake this in two stages...I took a small bite of the corn cake layer to make sure it was set, and it had some serious heat from the jalapenos. I thought, "No big deal. The enchilada sauce, chicken, and cheese I'm about to add will offset and even it out."

Ultimately, I thought this was spicy but still delicious...however, my BF declared it too hot to eat and microwaved leftover pizza. So...I personally highly recommend this recipe, but stick with the chiles (like you would make the same mistake I did, anyway). 


I loved the sweet component from the corn muffin mix (I love me some Jiffy), and I could pretty much eat Mexican every other day/night.

Printable recipe

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can cream-style corn
1 box corn muffin mix
1 small can diced green chiles, drained
1  can enchilada sauce
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
 
Mix together ¼ cup of the cheese, the milk, egg, cumin,  corn, muffin mix and green chiles in a bowl until combined. Pour into a greased 9x13 dish and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean).

Poke holes all over the surface of the corn cake with a fork. Pour the enchilada sauce over the top and spread across the surface. Sprinkle the chicken evenly across the top and follow with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for another 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

Dinner at my house often boils down to one question: Italian or Mexican? So, when I saw this recipe, I knew I'd love it...even though it seems like a strange mix of flavors on paper. If you're a pasta fan looking for a twist, this is for you.

I know stuffed shells can seem like a process, but this recipe is so worth it. One of the best cooking tips I've ever received was to fill a Ziploc bag with whatever you're stuffing shells with, snip a corner, and pipe away. So easy.

I have to confess...we had quite a few spoonfuls of the meat mixture (I mean, cream cheese and taco seasoning?) and both agreed that we could have had that for dinner alone. Seriously delicious.

Printable recipe

1 pound ground beef
1 package taco seasoning 
3 ounces cream cheese
16 jumbo pasta shells, cooked
1-1/2 cups salsa
1 cup taco sauce
2 cups cheddar cheese 


Brown beef and add taco seasoning. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Pour salsa on bottom of 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each cooked pasta shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes with the foil removed.