Chicken Tamale Casserole

A few months ago, I shared this recipe on Miss Crafty Pants. Realizing I never shared it on my blog, I decided it was time. 


Every once in a while, a recipe exceeds my expectations. This was one of them. I am all about simple and easy, but when simple and easy is SO delicious...makes it even better! Usually, I don't tell Hubby what I'm cooking for dinner, because he's kinda a picky eater. So, when he asked what I was making, I just said "dinner." =) When I put this on the table he said it smelled delicious, and as soon as he took the first bite, he requested that this be put in "the recipe book." Now, if I can get that kind of reaction out of the Hubby, I know it's a good dish. The leftovers are just as good. We have made this numerous times, and will continue to make it. I have made one change in the recipe, though you don't have to. The recipe says to sprinkle the chicken on top. The first time I made it, I found that as it bakes, some of the chicken on top dries out. The next time I made it, I decided to mix the chicken with the cornbread mixture, and it was perfect. That's how I make it now. This dish is so easy to put together, and can be made in about 30 minutes. It's great for those long days when you don't want to cook a big meal. It's even got the veggies in it! A whole meal in this dish. =) It's also a great way to use leftover, cooked chicken. And you wanna know another good thing about this dish...it's from Cooking Light magazine, so it's even healthy for you! How can something that tastes this good be healthy you ask? Just try, I promise you won't be disappointed. 

INGREDIENTS
1  cup  (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided

• 1/3  cup  fat-free milk
• ¼  cup  egg substitute
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1  (14 ¾-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1  (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
• 1  (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• Cooking spray
• 1  (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
• 2  cups  shredded cooked chicken breast
• ½  cup  fat-free sour cream
• 
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine ¼ cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining ¾ cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Source: Cooking Light magazine

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