A Hearty, Colorful Sampling of the Southwest
Don’t let the ingredient list intimidate you. It may look a bit long, but that is only because it has been arranged for maximum user friendliness. There is some “pre-cooking” involved here, but it is very straightforward. First you bring the lentils (and the other items in that group) to a boil, cover, and have them cooking on low. That will take about 35 minutes. While those are cooking, spray a skillet with cooking spray and cook the chicken for about five minutes by itself and for another five minutes with the rest of the ingredients from that group added.
Set that aside in a bowl, spray the skillet with cooking spray again, and cook the veggies (along with everything in that group) for about seven minutes. Then combine EVERYTHING (including all the liquid from the lentils) in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish and bake at 350 F for 50 minutes. For best results, allow the casserole to set for about half an hour (covered in foil) after pulling it out of the oven before serving. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Lentils:
1 + 1/2 cup green lentils, rinsed & drained
3 cups chicken broth, low sodium (I used Swanson)
1/8 tsp salt
Chicken:
2 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Cooking spray (e.g., Misto or Pam)
Vegetables:
1 large onion, diced
5 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 large bell peppers, diced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Cooking spray
Mix Ins:
14 oz can diced tomatoes (I used Hunt’s)
2 cups corn, frozen & unthawed
2 cups (6.5 oz) Tex Mex or Colby Jacks cheese, shredded & divided
2 tbsp jalapeño peppers, seeded & minced (or to taste)
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 cup cilantro, chopped & divided
Instructions:
Combine lentils, chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil on high, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 35 minutes. Do not drain excess liquid. Set aside.
Meanwhile, preheat large skillet on high and spray with cooking spray. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Keep stirring and drain any liquid if necessary. Add cumin, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and cook for another 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, bell peppers, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper and cook for 7 minutes or until golden brown.
Transfer to the bowl with chicken along with 1 cup cheese, 1/2 cup cilantro and all the remaining ingredients. Mix gently to combine. Taste and adjust the spiciness of the dish with extra cayenne/jalapeño peppers/salt.
Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 oven proof baking dish and press gently with spatula. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake uncovered for 50 mins. Remove casserole from the oven, cover with foil and let stand for half an hour before serving. Garnish with remaining cilantro, cut into 8 slices and serve hot.
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Quick tip: Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper and jalapenos to your liking.
Thanks to iFOODreal for this delicious and healthy chicken and lentil casserole recipe.