Having recently graduated, I decided that it’s time to get back to sharing my love of cooking! I figured what better way to get back into the swing of things than with one of my favorite recipes. When you’ve had an exhausting full day of work, usually the last thing you want to do is spend hours preparing a meal. Unless of course you find it to be relaxing, then by all means, cook away! But for those who just want a quick meal at the end of the day, this recipe is perfect for any work day. It requires very few ingredients, takes very little time to prepare and, best of all, can be prepared in a number of ways.

Mom’s Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This casserole became a staple dish to take on our hunting trips. In fact, it’s so good, that my grandfather, Papa, who never really cared for Mexican food, said that he actually liked this dish. Although this recipe is for the chicken version, the chicken can be easily substituted with the same weight in ground beef. It’s great served on its own, but is even better when topped with a dollop guacamole or sour cream.

• 13-14 ounces plain tortilla chips
• 1 can tomato soup + 1 equivalent water
• 28 ounces red enchilada sauce
• 2 cups Cheddar Colby cheese mix, shredded
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts, if desired)
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350°. Place chicken in saucepan and cover with water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the water to a simmer and cook until chicken is done. Remove chicken from water, let cool and cut into bit size pieces or shred. Discard the water. While chicken is cooling, combine the tomato soup, can equivalent of water and enchilada sauce in the saucepan. Warm on medium-low heat. Add the chicken and stir to combine. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place half of the chips on the bottom, cover with half of the meat sauce mixture, then half of the cheese, repeat the layers and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese on top just begins to brown slightly. Remove and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.