Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

How to spice up a bland chicken casserole? ›

Try different herbs for added flavour: sage or lemon thyme work wonderfully well. For a meatier casserole, add chopped sausage or pancetta when cooking the chicken. Stir wholegrain mustard through the casserole at the end of cooking (to taste); this is especially good if you have sausage in the casserole.

Wrap tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, then reheat in a 375 F oven for 30 minutes the next morning until the casserole is browned and heated through.

It's important to heat a casserole thoroughly before eating it; use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the casserole is at 165 degrees F for safe consumption. Just don't try to speed things up by cranking up the heat or you can end up with a casserole that's cooked on the outside but uncooked on the inside.

If you've already cooked your casserole and find out it's too dry, another easy fix is to warm some broth and then pour it over the top of your casserole. Cover the dish with aluminum foil to prevent the liquid from evaporating and wait for 10 minutes or so before serving.

Casseroles can really shine when they achieve a harmonious balance of flavors. Sweet, salty, spicy, and acidic elements should blend well and complement each other. Add ingredients like caramelized onions, olives, or lemon zest to give your casserole a depth of flavor.

The casserole is covered and refrigerated overnight to allow the liquid ingredients to be absorbed into the bread. This is a perishable mixture and should be cooked the morning or day after assembly.

If food has been hygienically prepared, cooled quickly after cooking (or reheating) and stored cold, reheating more than once should not increase the risk of illness. However, prolonged storage and repeated reheating will affect the taste, texture, and sometimes the nutritional quality of foods.

The best way to reheat it is to cover it and put it into a cold oven. Covering the dish will trap the steam in and keep it moist while it heats. How do you moisten a dry casserole? Add a little water or milk to the top of the it before reheating.

Make-ahead meals (especially baked casseroles) are terrific because you can completely assemble them in advance and bake them just before serving. They're the ultimate comfort food as they come bubbling hot and delicious straight from the oven to the table to the delight of family and friends.

Should I cover casserole in oven? ›

Generally, casseroles with grains, rice or pasta that will cook during the baking process are usually covered, for at least part of the time. Casseroles made of cooked ingredients are usually baked uncovered. If you like a crisper, browner top, be sure the casserole is uncovered for at least part of the bake time.

Why Is My Breakfast Casserole Runny? The key to a breakfast casserole that is moist and delicious but not runny is to make sure you have the proper ratio of bread, eggs, and milk.

Maybe you took the lid off of the pot too early, letting the steam escape. Maybe you didn't add enough liquid to begin with. Whatever the case, if your rice is looking dried out, or the texture is still hard or crunchy when all the liquid has been absorbed, add up to ½ cup water and return to a simmer with the lid on.

Longer cooking times, such as simmering or slow cooking, allow the collagen to break down gradually, resulting in tender meat. However, cooking at too high of a temperature or for too short of a time can lead to tough and chewy meat. When meat is exposed to high heat, the collagen fibers contract and become tougher.

Use a brine

Brining your chicken is a foolproof way to not only add flavour to your roast but also to ensure you don't overcook the meat. Essentially a mix of salt, sugar and water, we love adding herbs, garlic or whole spices such as fennel and cumin to flavour the brine.