Low Carb Chicken Enchilada CasseroleCelebrate Cinco de Mayo without blowing your weight-loss goals with this low-carb version of the classic Mexican dish.
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 4-6
What you need:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts; trimmed and pounded if necessary
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups of enchilada sauce (store bought or homemade)
1 cup finely crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
One 4-ounce can of green chilis, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
Olive oil spray (or olive oil and a brush)
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Lime wedges (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
What you do:
Heat oven to 450 F. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
Combine the chicken and enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan and simmer for 10-15 minutes over medium-low heat. Then flip the chicken over, cover and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until chicken reaches 160-165 F on an instant-read thermometer.
Remove chicken from pan and shred into bite-sized pieces. Combine shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, queso fresco, chilis and cilantro in a bowl. Add salt and pepper, if desired.
Coat the bottom and sides of a square casserole dish with olive oil. Evenly spread 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese on the bottom of the dish.
Add the chicken mixture, and then add the other cup of cheddar cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 3-5 minutes to melt the cheese.
Serve with lime wedges and sour cream, if desired.
(Recipe adapted from "America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook," America's Test Kitchen, 2010, as listed at 730sagestreet.com.)