Viva La Chicken Casserole

I think everyone has heard the saying "Necessity is the mother of invention."  Well, this recipe is due, in part, to necessity.  The other day I filled my crock pot with chicken and salsa, and turned it on.  I was going to make a wonderfully creamy and delicious filling for tortillas.  The chicken cooked in the salsa all day, filling the house with yummy smells.  I pulled out the chicken and shredded it, put it back into the crock pot, and went to find the rest of the ingredients to make my chicken filling.  There was just one teeny, tiny, HUGE problem.  I somehow overlooked making sure I had everything I needed before I started cooking my chicken.  I would have even been okay if I checked before I went to the store.  But I didn't, so into the fridge my beautifully cooked chicken went.  And sat.  Awaiting for the chance to become dinner.  Knowing I had to do something with it before it went to waste, I made this tasty casserole.

There are some foods that just don't look pretty, but sure taste good.  This is one of them. I guess you could call it a "Don't judge a book by it's cover" casserole. :)

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 small onion, diced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup red salsa
2 (7 ounce) cans green chili salsa - I used about 2 cups of my homemade Green Tomato Salsa Verde
1/2 cup milk
15 corn tortillas
4 cups shredded cheese - I used cheddar

In a large bowl, combine soups, salsas and milk and mix until smooth.  Stir in chicken, black beans and onion.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spread about 1/2 cup chicken mix over the bottom of the pan.  Break up 5 tortillas and place over chicken mixture in pan.  Top with 1/3 chicken mixture, then 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat layers 2 more times ending with cheese.  Bake at 300 for 1 hour.

This is a great casserole to make the day before or in the morning.  Cover and refrigerate, then bake for 1 1/2 hours at 300. 

Recipe adapted from my old friend Lynda.