Making It Up As I Go: Taco Casserole

We have a ton of chili peppers to use up, so we wanted to make something spicy and Mexican. We decided to change up our normal go-to Mexican dishes (quesadillas, tacos, fajitas, etc.) and make a taco casserole.

I based what I did off a recipe my mother-in-law jotted down for me a few years ago. I used the same elements (other than adding a can of cream of chicken soup to the browned meat) but added some extra layers for flavor and to get some extra nutrients.

It's a good thing to make when you have a lot of things you want to use up and are craving Mexican flavors. Here's what I did:

Taco Casserole

-1 lb. ground chicken

-16 oz. jar of salsa

-3 tomatoes, chopped

-1 corn on the cob, cooked in microwave for 2 minutes then cut off the cob

-1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

-1 yellow onion, chopped

-1 red pepper, chopped

-a couple cloves of garlic

-1 habanero and 1 chili pepper, chopped

-spices and herbs, including chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, pepper

-crushed tortilla chips, plus more for topping

-about 1 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp white cheddar)

Brown chicken with onion, garlic, peppers and spices. I added a bit of salsa at this step.

In a greased 9x13 pan, place crushed tortilla chips so there aren't any open spots. Layer half of chicken and top with half of the salsa. Spread black beans and corn on top. Layer rest of chicken and salsa. Blend tomatoes in with the salsa. Top with cheese.

Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes. Take out and added remainder of crushed chips to top. Bake 5 minutes longer.

We cut our casserole into 6 pieces. Don't even bother trying to make it look pretty on the plate. It's impossible! The first few bites were pretty spicy, but it cooled down after that, and was delicious. We had it with some watermelon on the side--perfect for cutting the heat.