Southwest Four Cheese Chicken Recipes

CHEESY SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SKILLET

Steps:

• In 12-inch skillet, heat 3 cups water to boiling; add pasta. Cook 8 to 9 minutes or until pasta is tender; drain and return to skillet.
• Add chicken, sauce and chiles; heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with bell pepper, olives and tortilla chips.

SOUTHWEST FOUR CHEESE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375ºF.
• Combine bread crumbs and seasonings in medium bowl; stir in cheese.
• Moisten chicken with water. Coat with cheese mixture, 1 piece at a time. Lightly press cheese mixture onto both sides of chicken. (Chicken will not be completely coated.) Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray; top with any remaining cheese mixture.
• Bake 28 to 30 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Brown chicken breasts on both sides. Add tomatoes with green chile peppers, beans and corn. Reduce heat and let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Add a dash of cumin and serve.

SOUTHWEST SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Flatten chicken to 1/2-in. thickness. Sprinkle both sides with cumin and cayenne. In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat until no longer pink, 4-5 minutes on each side. , Meanwhile, combine corn and salsa; spoon over chicken. Top with cheese and jalapenos. Cover and cook until heated through and cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes. Top each chicken breast with a dollop of sour cream.

EASY SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine cumin, salt, dried chipotle pepper, and paprika in a large, resealable plastic bag. Seal bag and shake to mix. Measure 2 teaspoons of the seasoning into a large bowl; add diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, black beans, and corn to the bowl and stir.
• Put chicken in the bag with the remaining seasoning; shake to coat.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Turn seasoned chicken out into the skillet, add red onion, and saute in the hot oil until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-high. Stir tomato mixture with the chicken; bring to a boil, add rice, and stir.
• Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the chicken mixture. Place a cover on the skillet and simmer until the rice is tender and the chicken no longer pink in the middle, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

MAKE-AHEAD CHEESY SOUTHWEST CHICKEN AND PASTA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• In 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, bell pepper, poblano and jalapeño chiles; cook about 6 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Stir in flour and taco seasoning mix; cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually beat in broth with whisk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cream cheese and Cheddar cheese.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package for minimum cook time. Drain; stir pasta into sauce with chicken, frozen corn and black beans. Pour pasta mixture into baking dish, and pour enchilada sauce over top.
• Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with tortilla chips. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through and sauce is bubbling around edges. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro and red onion just before serving.
• To freeze: Line 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with foil, making sure foil is as smooth as possible, as wrinkled foil may get stuck in sauce during freezing process. Leave enough overhang to lift casserole out of dish. Spray foil with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate sauce 30 to 40 minutes before assembling casserole. Mix sauce with cooked pasta, chicken, frozen corn and beans; spread in lined baking dish (do not add enchilada sauce); cover tightly with another layer of foil. Freeze unbaked casserole about 8 hours or until completely frozen. Transfer frozen casserole to labeled 2-gallon resealable freezer plastic bag. Remove air; seal and freeze up to three months. To bake: Remove foil, and transfer to 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and thaw in refrigerator until completely thawed, at least 48 hours. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove cover, and top with enchilada sauce. Bake 20 minutes; top with crushed tortilla chips. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly around edges (165°F in center). Let stand 15 minutes. Top with cilantro and red onion just before serving.

SLOW-COOKER SOUTHWEST CHEESY CHICKEN AND RICE

Steps:

• Spray 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix taco seasoning mix, cumin, salt and red pepper. Sprinkle both sides of chicken thighs with seasoning mixture; arrange in slow cooker. Pour tomatoes, beans and corn over chicken in slow cooker. Cover; cook on High heat setting 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut (at least 165°F). Remove chicken and, using two forks, shred into bite-size pieces.
• Add Velveeta™ and Cheddar cheeses to slow cooker. Cover; cook 15 minutes. Beat with whisk until cheeses have melted into sauce. Add rice and shredded chicken; stir to combine. Cover; cook about 10 minutes or until hot. Garnish with cilantro.

AIR-FRYER SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Do not preheat air fryer. In a large bowl, combine chicken, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, hominy, beans, chiles and seasonings. Line air fryer basket with foil letting ends extend up sides; grease foil. Place 1/4 cup chicken mixture off center on each tortilla; roll up. In batches, place in air fryer, seam side down. Top with half the enchilada sauce; sprinkle with half the remaining Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses., Cook, until heated through and cheeses are melted, 10-12 minutes. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve with toppings of your choice.

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spray a 4-quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. Add chicken, uncooked rice, black beans, and corn and stir until combined. Set aside.
• Mix tomato sauce, 2 cups chicken broth, sour cream, chili powder, salt, cumin, ancho chile pepper, and white pepper together in a large bowl. Pour into the casserole dish and mix well; contents should be fairly soupy. Cover with foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover, and stir.
• Add the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth if the casserole is too dry or beginning to stick. Cover again and return to the oven until rice is soft, about 40 more minutes.
• Remove foil, stir contents, and sprinkle with grated Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN THIGH CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
• Heat chicken broth in a small pan over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
• Combine black beans, corn, and rice in a large bowl. Add hot chicken broth, condensed soup, 1 cup pepper Jack cheese, sour cream, and salsa; stir to combine. Stir in chicken. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Top with remaining pepper Jack and bake until center is set, chicken is cooked through, and cheese is golden brown, 15 to 25 more minutes.

CHEESY SOUTHWEST OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN FOR TWO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375ºF.
• Cook and stir bacon and vegetables in nonstick skillet on medium heat 6 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from heat. Stir in dressing.
• Place chicken in single layer in shallow baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with barbecue sauce. Turn chicken to evenly coat with sauce; top with bacon mixture.
• Bake 12 to 14 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF). Top with cheese; bake 2 min. or until melted. Sprinkle with basil.

CHEESY SOUTHWEST CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place chicken in a small baking dish and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, turning to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Cut into strips or cubes when cool enough to handle. Leave the oven on.
• While the chicken bakes, bring water and 2 tablespoons olive oil to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff lightly with fork.
• While the rice cooks, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Place rice, vegetable mixture, chicken, 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, beans, and tomatoes in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Spoon into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes longer.