Is there such a thing as a healthy casserole?

[PollyannaMom]

I need to use up some leftover chicken, and want to put together an easy casserole that I can just pop in the oven later. My DH is closely watching both saturated fat and salt, so the typical "cream of chemical" soup type is out. Anyone have a favorite recipe?

 

[ronandannette]

Hmmm, left-over chicken without some sort of sauce to moisten it is kind of a tough one, and the salt issue definitely makes things more complicated. You could try something Mexican-y like baked enchiladas if you use low-sodium salsa. (My personal version of that would include tons of cheese though, so that's out too.)

I'd likely go with chicken soup instead - the meat simmered with onions, celery and carrots in low-sodium chicken broth, with either rice or broad noodles for substance and herbs to taste (I like garlic, black pepper, sage and bay-leaf.)

 

[Mizzoufan]

I'd do something with salsa

 

[mjkacmom]

How about enchiladas? Make your own sauce, limit the cheese.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Try looking up Ellie Krieger, she is a person who does healthy cooking. I cook her mac and cheese all the time and dh loves it. She also has a magazine as well.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

Another suggestion is to go to the Cooking Light website. They definitely have some lower fat, lower sodium casseroles. I have gotten their magazine for years, but my one complaint is their search engine on their website is not the greatest.

 

[CarolAnn856]

I make a Tex-Mex pie that goes over incredibly well with my family and at potlucks, and it's a great use of leftover chicken. The great thing is that you can adjust the ingredients to what you have on hand and to what you like. There really is no right or wrong.

Spray a 8"-9" shallow, round baking dish or pie pan with non-stick cooking spray. Lay a pie crust in it.

In a bowl, mix:
1 cup cubed chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can green chiles
1/2 cup frozen or fresh corn
1/2 cup chopped onions, frozen or fresh
1/2 cup chopped green peppers, frozen or fresh
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 shredded cheddar cheese
2 T taco mix
hot sauce to taste

Pour mixture onto pie crust, cover with second pie crust, and seal edges. Cut 4-8 small vents in crust.

Bake at 400 for about 45 minutes. I always cover the edges with a pie shield, which you can make from strips of aluminum foil if you don't have silicone ones.

Serve with guacamole and/or sour cream on the side.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I make a Tex-Mex pie that goes over incredibly well with my family and at potlucks, and it's a great use of leftover chicken. The great thing is that you can adjust the ingredients to what you have on hand and to what you like. There really is no right or wrong.

Spray a 8"-9" shallow, round baking dish or pie pan with non-stick cooking spray. Lay a pie crust in it.

In a bowl, mix:
1 cup cubed chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can green chiles
1/2 cup frozen or fresh corn
1/2 cup chopped onions, frozen or fresh
1/2 cup chopped green peppers, frozen or fresh
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 shredded cheddar cheese
2 T taco mix
hot sauce to taste

Pour mixture onto pie crust, cover with second pie crust, and seal edges. Cut 4-8 small vents in crust.

Bake at 400 for about 45 minutes. I always cover the edges with a pie shield, which you can make from strips of aluminum foil if you don't have silicone ones.

Serve with guacamole and/or sour cream on the side.

This sounds like a winner! I think I have most of that stuff on hand, and in low-sodium versions, so I can give it a try.

Thanks to everyone for the tips!!

 

[CarolAnn856]

This sounds like a winner! I think I have most of that stuff on hand, and in low-sodium versions, so I can give it a try.

Thanks to everyone for the tips!!

Awesome! Let me know what you think. Oh, and this freezes really well, too, so I usually make more than one at a time. Also, my daughter is vegetarian, so I either leave out the chicken altogether on one for her, or I use some of the fake chicken strips instead.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Pick up a copy of the American Heart Association cookbook.

 

[Minnesota!]

I do mashed cauliflower, layer the turkey/chicken on top, top with veggies, and then I do use gravy on top. Bake.

 

[mrsg00fy]

I either just heat it up with some gravy or chop it up and eat over a salad. Any type of casserole would just not go over well in this house.

 

[tcufrog]

I would make chicken enchiladas with tomatillo sauce for the moisture instead of tons of sour cream or cheese. You would then just need a tiny bit of cheese. You could pair it with black beans or cold corn relish that you make in advance and then store in the fridge.

 

[Micca]

Lay a pie crust in it.

CarolAnn this recipe sounds wonderful, I'm sure I'd love it and may give it a whirl. I gotta ask though, don't we pretty much eliminate "healthy" with "pie crust?"
Don't get me wrong, I'm not above a pie crust, it just seems like that a lot of fat & carbs. In any case, thanks for posting the recipe.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Awesome! Let me know what you think. Oh, and this freezes really well, too, so I usually make more than one at a time. Also, my daughter is vegetarian, so I either leave out the chicken altogether on one for her, or I use some of the fake chicken strips instead.

I'm afraid the review will have to wait. The guys didn't know I was planning to use up the chicken for dinner and made sandwiches from it for lunch while I was out.

(The upside is, when DH realized this, he suggested going out to dinner instead, so I ended up not having to cook at all! )

 

[arminnie]

What's your definition of healthy? I don't use those stupid cream of soups nor do I use most processed foods. I never add any salt to my cooking as we feed the guard at our condo who cannot have any extra sodium. Others can always add it later if they want to.

I have no problem with using olive oil and flour to make a roux - or I may use tomato sauce or juice as a liquid in a casserole. I do not think carbs are evil. I make my own chicken stock with no salt at all from bones, skin and vegetables. I have an herb garden and uses lots of fresh herbs to flavor my cooking.

I do not think that rice, quinoa and plain potatoes are "evil". But to each their own.

My close family members and friends were pioneers in the natural foods industry (including Whole Foods) so I'm fairly educated on healthy food. I'm also in my 70s with great cholesterol, triclycerides, etc.

I'm a big proponent of eating "real" food - not imitation fake stuff.

 

[pat fan]

One of my new favorite cookbooks is the Glorious One Pot Meals. Everything is two servings that cooks in one pot and done in 45 minutes or less. And "real" food, no cream of yuck in ANY of the recipes!!
https://smile.amazon.com/Glorious-O...531267&sr=8-1&keywords=glorious+one+pot+meals

 

[LilyWDW]

Or, you know, you could find a brand of "cream of..." soups that don't have a bunch of junk in it (like soy which is why I can't have the vast majority of brands) or even make your own...

 

[low-key]

If so I dont want it

 

[CarolAnn856]

CarolAnn this recipe sounds wonderful, I'm sure I'd love it and may give it a whirl. I gotta ask though, don't we pretty much eliminate "healthy" with "pie crust?"
Don't get me wrong, I'm not above a pie crust, it just seems like that a lot of fat & carbs. In any case, thanks for posting the recipe.

Thanks, I hope you like it! It's definitely become one of my go-to meals.

The carbs in the crust don't concern me, especially when the majority of a slice of the pie is protein and vegetables. I usually make my own crust anyway, using some variation of one of the ideas on skinnymom (link). Most often I use the suggestions to use whole wheat flour and to sub out the butter for oil, often using either just olive oil or a combination of olive and canola oil.

Taco seasoning can have a lot of salt if you buy it pre-made, but if someone has to watch their sodium intake they can easily find recipes online to make their own. Guac is great, and we use the low-fat sour cream (and none of use all that much anyway, just enough to taste).

Hope that helps with making it even healthier!