Baked Hatch Chile Casserole
This Baked Hatch Chile Casserole is made of Hatch chiles, corn tortillas, black beans, corn, and ground turkey, then topped with melty, gooey mozzarella for a very Good and Good for You™ supper.
It started as Baked Stuffed Chile Rellenos. Halfway through carefully peeling the roasted peppers to leave them intact for stuffing, I thought,
“No one is going to do this.”
And flipped it into this Baked Hatch Chile Casserole made with chopped chiles. It’s not the prettiest dish, but it’s really good with a lot less fuss.
Many baked hatch casseroles contain egg or rice, and this one has neither. Plus, with the switch, you can swap out the fresh-roasted for canned, if you wish.
What are Hatch Chile Peppers?
Fresh Hatch chiles are a type of pepper grown exclusively in the Hatch Valley region of New Mexico, and are available in late summer and early fall — and in stores, now.
This quick 5-minute read also shares
- Best Life Living Tip: Fat 101 🥑
- Self-Care Strategy: Get Up, Out, and Involved ✍️
- Ideas and Inspiration: Protecting the Everglades 🐊
- Info about Good and Good for You™ River Boat Cruise from Burgundy to Provence 🇫🇷
Read on for more — including this easy recipe for Baked Hatch Chile Casserole with just over 200 calories and 15 grams of protein per serving.
But, hey — before you click and read more — I want to say thank you. ❤️ I know what a crowded inbox looks like, and I appreciate you! 👋🏻
Irish Brown Bread with ButterBest Life Living Tip: Fat 101
It’s unrealistic for most people to avoid fat 100% when trying to lose weight or when on a healthy eating plan.
There is a well-established link between fat intake and the risk of heart disease and stroke. But, as with all things, moderation is key. Fat can be a healthy part of a diet.
Equal quantities of all fats have about equal calories – a tablespoon of olive oil is about the same number of calories as a tablespoon of butter or bacon grease!
It’s not just about the calories. Choose which fat to use in terms of flavor, the cooking method, and health benefits.
Butter may not be so great for the heart, but room temperature butter on freshly baked Irish Brown Bread is good for the soul!
Weight Loss Success Story
As a quick reminder, I’ve lost 65# and kept it off for over 4 years. I eat fat – I am just careful about the fat I eat. In the beginning, it was about weight loss; now it’s about health gain.
The subject is complicated – but here’s a quick Fat 101 with “best to worst.”
🥑 MONOUNSATURATED FATS:
- Typically liquid(ish) at room temperature.
- Found in many fish, nuts, seeds, and non-tropical vegetable oils like olive, peanut, sunflower, and oil.
- These fats may help lower your cholesterol when used instead of saturated and trans fats.
- Includes peanut butter, avocado, and sunflower butter.
🧈 SATURATED FATS:
- Think solid at room temperature.
- Foods like butter, plant butter, palm and coconut oils, and cheese.
- All meat contains saturated fat, but chicken and ground turkey breast, like in the Baked Hatch Chile Casserole, are the lowest.
- The bottom line on saturated fat is moderation.
🌭TRANS FATS
- Found in margarine, shortening, and processed foods
- Lesser amounts are found in beef, pork, lamb, butter, and milk.
- Stay away from trans fats.
It’s all about choices. Make the ones that are best for you.
Self-Care Strategy
When the news is bad and you feel overwhelmed, it’s easy to want to crawl into bed, but a better self-care strategy is to get involved.
Getting involved – not just doomscrolling – can help make the world a better place — and offer you a sense of purpose in the process.
Try One of These Small Steps Today
No matter which issues energize you, there are countless ways to make a difference – online, offline, or both.
-
Pick up litter during your walk or run — bonus points if you turn it into squats.
-
Donate gently used clothes, books, or kitchenware to a local shelter.
-
Volunteer for a cleanup, a shift at the food bank, or a charity like Mercy Chefs.
-
Send a thank-you note to someone making a difference in your community.
-
Write to your local representatives about an issue that matters to you.
-
Support a small business or farmers’ market instead of a chain.
-
Plant something to brighten your space and our world.
Small actions add up. Every morning, I walk and pick up trash while I do it and make it a workout. Every piece is a squat or a forward fold! It makes me feel good.
Find what feels good for you! You can do it!
Ideas and Inspiration
One issue I support is the environment. Full stop. The Florida Everglades are a natural resource that must be protected.
Friends of the Everglades was founded in 1969 by renowned journalist, author, and environmental activist Marjory Stoneman Douglas. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving America’s Everglades and its interconnected ecosystems.
The mission of Friends of the Everglades is to preserve, protect, and restore the only Everglades in the world.
If you agree, follow @friendsoftheeverglades on Instagram and help fund the fight to save it at everglades.org
Good and Good for You™Living Spotlight
We’re taking Good and Good for You™ to France!
ONLY 3 cabins are left for this exclusive opportunity!
We’ll indulge in the flavors of Burgundy and Provence — AND balance it out with walks on the ancient streets and bike rides through the countryside. I am ecstatic about this trip!
For the full itinerary, check out my Events Page.
Make sure to give Brook at TripBoutiq a call at +1 214-289-0862 or email her at brook@tripboutiq.com .
Make it Count
Let me know what you think about the Baked Hatch Chili Casserole. My taste testers loved it… You’ll never know this cheesy gooey goodness is only about 200 calories with 15 grams of protein per serving!
Thanks so much for reading. Please follow on IG @virginiawillis for more best life tips, self-care techniques, inspiration, and healthy recipes.
The Good and Good for You™ recipes, like this Baked Hatch Chili Casserole, are free both on VirginiaWillis.com and Substack. Please also check out my bi-weekly column in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Remember, as long as you’re doing what’s Good and Good for You™ more often than not, you’re on the right track. 🙌🏻
You can do it!
Bon Appétit Y’all!
Virginia Willis
Baked Hatch Chile Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 fresh raw hatch chilies or 4 4-ounce cans hatch chiles, drained
- Nonstick spray
- 1 onion chopped
- 16 ounces ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 ears corn kernels removed (about 2 cups)
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 15- ounce can low-sodium black beans rinsed and drained
- 6 ounces part skim mozzarella
Instructions
- Heat the broiler to 500°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange the peppers in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spritz with nonstick spray. Place the baking tray in the upper third of your oven, and roast for about 10 minutes, until the chile peppers start to blister and blacken.
- Remove to a bowl and cover so that the peppers will sweat, making the skins easier to remove. Remove and discard the skins and seeds. (You can rinse under cold water in the sink, but that will also remove flavor; try to use your hands and a paper towel.) Coarsely chop the peppers and set aside.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F. Heat a large deep skillet or shallow saucepan over medium-high heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Add onion and cook until clear and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add turkey, ground cumin, ground coriander, and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add corn and reserved chopped fresh peppers or drained canned peppers; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Lay 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole dish. Top with half of the turkey-corn mixture. Dollop in half the drained beans. Top with the remaining tortillas, then the remaining turkey-corn mixture. Repeat with the remaining beans. Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake until heated through, brown and bubbly, 30 - 45 minutes. Remove to a rack or the stovetop to let cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition
