Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole

Buy a rotisserie chicken on the way home from work and you can easily make this dish and have this casserole in the oven in less than half an hour. Salsa verde is a green Mexican sauce made with finely chopped onions, garlic, cilantro, parsley, and hot peppers. It comes in jars and you can find it in the Mexican foods section of most grocery stores. It adds a nice punch of flavor to just about any dish.

Makes 12 servings

• 1 pound cauliflower (see Note below), cut into small florets
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or Monterey Jack cheese
• 1½ cups salsa verde
• 1 cup sour cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey
• 1 (10-ounce) can Ro*Tel mild diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have a 9- by 13-inch baking dish ready.

In a medium bowl, combine the cauliflower, 1 cup of the shredded cheese, the salsa verde, sour cream, cream cheese, cilantro, and garlic. Add the shredded chicken and the Ro*Tel, if using, and mix together. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, until heated through and the topping starts to brown. Serve hot.

Note: Use frozen cauliflower florets if you’d like to save a little time. Just add them per the recipe and check to be sure they’re cooked through before serving. If they’re not, return to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes.

Nutritional Info (per serving)

Calories 299, fat 19 g, protein 15.3 g, carbs 19.6 g, fiber 1.3 g