SCD No Grain Layered Mexican Chicken Casserole

Aaahhh Casseroles.......the comfort food of childhood. My mom was an expert casserole maker. Give her a can of Tomato, Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken soup and she could create a meal for our family of six out of practically anything (just so you know mom, the Chinese one was my favorite). This recipe is a bit different, as casseroles usually include potatoes, rice, or corn. It took me awhile to come up with using zucchini as a substitution and it works very well. The trick is to make sure all the ingredients are as dry as possible.

No Grain Layered Mexican Chicken Casserole

4 c shredded zucchini, spread out on a cookie sheet to dry at room temperature at least 24 hours
2 c. SCD Black Beans, thoroughly drained and dry.
2 c. cooked chopped chicken
1 small can chopped olives
1/4 c. chopped roasted chiles (optional)
1-2 c. Tomatillo Salsa or your favorite salsa or enchilada sauce
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
2 c. shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheeses, or a combination of both

Oil an 8x8 casserole dish. Begin layering ingredients starting with zucchini, then beans, and chicken. Spread 1/2 of sauce over ingredients. Continue layering with olives, onion, chiles, cumin and garlic then ending with tomatoes. Spread remaining sauce over casserole and top with cheeses. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until piping hot. Garnish with chopped cilantro, yocheese or sour cream and guacamole.