There’s a popular advertisement on television that asks the question, “What’s in your wallet?” Unfortunately, for most of us, the answer is, “Not much!” The question we should be asking is, “What’s in your freezer?” and, if there are modules, the answer is, “Plenty!” Modules are great on the budget and of course are great timesavers. The module concept is that a main ingredient such as chicken, beef, turkey, etc. is prepared in a large quantity in such a way that it can be added to dozens of recipes on the spur of the moment to make quick, nutritious, and delicious meals. Since most of the modules on this site don’t contain preservatives or processed foods, they are much better for you, and the bonus is that they taste great.

The following recipe for Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole uses up leftover beans (or canned if there are no leftovers), a bag of corn chips, bottled salsa (or fresh if you have it), and canned green chilies. It can be put together in a matter of minutes and cooks in the slow cooker while the cook is at work or just busy doing other things. To complete the meal, a salad of shredded lettuce topped with a few avocado slices, fresh tomatoes from the garden, and a drizzle of vinaigrette makes a great well-balanced meal with minimum fuss and hands-on time.

While the recipe below calls for chicken from the Poached Chicken Module, it is equally good with the : Turkey Breast Module, : Mexican Meat Mix Module, or the : Ground Beef Module. This recipe can also be made with leftover tortilla chips – plain, nacho flavored, etc. – that have been sitting in the cupboard getting stale.

12 Servings

3 cups refried beans, (or 2 15-ounce cans, thinned with a little water)
4 poached chicken breasts from the poached chicken module, diced
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
1 9 oz. package chili cheese Fritos, or the equivalent of tortilla chips flavored or unflavored
3 cups medium salsa
3 cups grated cheddar jack cheese

Garnishes:
Sour cream
Chopped green onion
Shredded Lettuce
Sliced avocado

1. Spread 1/2 of the beans over the bottom of a 4-5 quart slow cooker.


2. Sprinkle half of the diced chicken over the beans, then half of the green chilies (with liquid if there is any).


3. Coarsely crush the Fritos and spread half over the top of the green chilies, pour 1 1/2 cups of the salsa over the chips, then top with 11/2/cups of the cheese.


4. Spread the remaining half of the beans over the cheese, then the remaining chicken, chilies, chips, and salsa.


5. Top with the remaining cheese.


6. Set the slow cooker to low and cook 4-6 hours.


7. Serve with sour cream, chopped green onion, shredded lettuce, and sliced avocados.

Note: this makes a great brunch dish; top each serving with a couple of fried eggs.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 439 Calories from Fat 215
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 49% Protein 25% Carb. 27%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 24 g
Saturated Fat 9 g
Cholesterol 68 mg
Sodium 912 mg
Total Carbohydrate 29 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 27 g

Vitamin A 17% Vitamin C 22% Calcium 0% Iron 18%