CRAVEABLE QUESO, CHICKEN, AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE WITH A KICK
I was chosen as 1 of 50 bloggers to compete in the Desert Pepper Blogger Recipe Challenge! I received samples of their Chile con Queso, Cantina Medium Salsa, and Peach Mango Salsa to use in developing creative recipes for entrees, brunch, and game day bites. The challenge is to really think outside of the box and create new recipes highlighting the flavors in these crazy delicious salsas and queso dip!
I am in love with the Chile con Queso which is creamy cheesy goodness with a little bit of heat!! My Craveable Queso, Chicken, and Butternut Casserole with a Kick was an instant keeper and my family devoured the entire casserole in one sitting.
Here’s how I made it! Note – you can also scroll to the bottom of this post to skip to the full recipe or click on the photos in this post which will link you to the recipe page as well.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9” x 13” baking dish with non-stick spray.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat and cook 1 large chopped onions until soft and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Peel and chop a 3 pound butternut squash into ½-1″ cubes. Add the squash and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash begins to lightly brown and is tender when pierced with a fork, about 10-12 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add 2 cups thawed frozen corn, 1 chopped red bell pepper, 1-15 ounce can black beans, 3 cups cooked shredded chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper to the pan and stir to combine.
Add 1 jar of Desert Pepper Chile con Queso and toss until everything is evenly coated with the creamy queso. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan and add ½ cup panic breadcrumbs and ½ cup grated parmesan cheese. Toss over medium heat with a rubber spatula until the crumbs are coated and begin to lightly brown. Spread the crumbs evenly over the top of the casserole.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and browned on top. Garnish with chopped parsley. DEVOUR!
CRAVEABLE QUESO, CHICKEN, AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE WITH A KICK
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped (1 cup)
1, 3-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into ½-1” cubes (about 7-8 cups)
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1, 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken breast, cooked and shredded into bite size pieces
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1, 16 ounce jar Authentic Desert Pepper Chile con Queso – Medium
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9” x 13” baking dish with non-stick spray.
Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat and cook the onions until soft and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the squash and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash begins to lightly brown and is tender when pierced with a fork, about 10-12 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the corn, red bell pepper, black beans, chicken, salt, and pepper to the pan and stir to combine. Add the jar of Chile con Queso and toss until everything is evenly coated with the queso. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Note – you could also bake the casserole in the same pan if it is ovenproof.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Toss over medium heat with a rubber spatula until the crumbs are coated and begin to lightly brown. Spread the crumbs evenly over the top of the casserole.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and browned on top. Garnish with chopped parsley. DEVOUR!
Visit https://desertpepper.com for more of their delicious salsas and queso and follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DesertPepperTradingCo and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/DesertPepperTradingCo !
You can purchase Desert Pepper Salsa products at: Sprouts, Publix, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, Shop Rite, Walmart, Giant Eagle, Market Basket, Jewel, Meijer
#desertpepperrecipechallenge #desertpeppertradingco #desertpeppersalsa
