Many grocery stores are celebrating Hatch chile pepper season in August and September. Named for Hatch, New Mexico, the peppers even have a festival dedicated to them during Labor Day weekend. Turn up the flavor of your dinner with this tasty recipe without heating up your home.
Slow Cooker Chicken Verde Casserole
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 2 c chopped pre-cooked chicken
- 1 c chopped roasted Hatch chile peppers or canned green chile peppers (see note)
- 1 c shredded cheese (Mexican blend or cojito)
- 1/2 c mild picante sauce
- 6 corn tortillas
In a medium bowl combine the onion, pre-cooked chicken, and peppers. You can even use part of a rotisserie chicken from your grocery store to shorten your preparation time.
Prepare slow cooker with a plastic liner unless you want to spend all evening soaking and scrubbing! Spray the inside of the liner with cooking spray for easy removal.
Begin by layering two tortillas on the bottom of the slow cooker, then one third of the chicken-onion-chile mixture. Lightly spread one third of picante sauce, then 1/3 cup of shredded cheese. Repeat for two more layers.
Put lid on slow cooker, and set temperature to high. The casserole will be done in one hour.
Note: For a milder flavor, use canned green chile peppers. Hatch chile peppers can be spicy. To roast fresh peppers, first remove the seeds and steams. Cut the peppers in half, and then place on a foil-lined baking sheet under your oven’s broiler. Rotate the pan as needed until the peppers are blackened. Remove the pan from the oven, and close the foil tightly, or place peppers inside a plastic bag. After the peppers sit for 20 minutes, the thin peel will loosen, and you can pull it from the pepper. Roasted peppers can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.
