Southwestern Style Black Bean and Chicken Tortilla Casserole

by Joanna
(Kings Park, NY)

When I was younger, my mother always asked what I wanted her to cook for my birthday dinner. Invariably, I would choose some sort of casserole. Casseroles were not a common meal in my family, but I just enjoyed them so much that they were elevated in my mind to a special occasion meal.

After I moved out of my parent's house, I began to experiment with all sorts of casseroles. I never really followed any recipes, just chose ingredients that I knew I would enjoy, combined them in a way I thought would be tasty, and usually enjoyed the results.

Southwestern Style Black Bean and Chicken Tortilla Casserole is a recipe that I devised for my birthday last year. Since my mother passed away in 2001, and no one else in my family cooks, it has been up to me to cook my own birthday feast. This recipe was probably one of the most successful kitchen experiments so far.

4 cups cooked cubed chicken breast
14 ounce can black beans, drained
10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
10 3/4 ounce can cheddar cheese soup
1 cup mild salsa
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 burrito sized flour tortillas, cut into 1 inch pieces
16 ounces sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

2. Mix together chicken, black beans, mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese soup, salsa, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, black pepper and 1 cup of shredded cheddar.

3. Grease a 13X9 casserole dish. Spread a layer of tortillas in the pan. Top with 1/2 the chicken mixture, and half of the sour cream. Add more tortillas, top with other 1/2 of the chicken and the rest of the sour cream.

3. Top with a final layer of tortillas. Spread the remaining 2 cups shredded cheddar over the top. Bake 30 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit.

This Southwestern Style Black Bean and Chicken Tortilla Casserole recipe serves....