One of the activities that I love most in the summertime is spending time in my garden…and also enjoying the delicious produce! This season, the garden is looking so good…and my zucchini and yellow squash (which I’ll collectively refer to as “squash”) plants are going totally nuts! I can’t even recall the number of times that I’ve harvested from these plants so far…which is wonderful, because squash are one of my all-time favorite veggies! My family eats squash raw sliced up with a little bit of ranch dip, diced up in pasta salads or lettuce salads…or cooked into casseroles, stir fry, croquettes, quiche, frittatas, or dessert bread...etc.!
Did you know that zucchini and yellow squash can be used interchangeably in any recipe? If a recipe calls for zucchini but you only have yellow squash on hand, use the yellow squash (or vice versa)…and you won’t be able to tell the difference. You can also use a combination of both zucchini AND yellow squash together in recipes. This is a wonderful thing!
A favorite squash recipe in my family was handed down from my German great grandmother. My Mom made it frequently when I was growing up, and I make it often, too. It calls for hamburger, zucchini, carrots, a creamy sauce, and stuffing mix. I can polish off a big ol’ plate of that casserole in a heartbeat! I decided that I wanted to make a casserole that had some components of my great grandmother’s casserole but change it up a bit...rotisserie chicken instead of hamburger, adding in green peppers and mushrooms, and incorporating fresh herbs. I used fresh basil and oregano. (If you don’t have fresh on hand, I’ve provided a helpful note in my recipe with info on substituting dried or ground herbs instead.)
Did you know that zucchini and yellow squash can be used interchangeably in any recipe? If a recipe calls for zucchini but you only have yellow squash on hand, use the yellow squash (or vice versa)…and you won’t be able to tell the difference. You can also use a combination of both zucchini AND yellow squash together in recipes. This is a wonderful thing!
A favorite squash recipe in my family was handed down from my German great grandmother. My Mom made it frequently when I was growing up, and I make it often, too. It calls for hamburger, zucchini, carrots, a creamy sauce, and stuffing mix. I can polish off a big ol’ plate of that casserole in a heartbeat! I decided that I wanted to make a casserole that had some components of my great grandmother’s casserole but change it up a bit...rotisserie chicken instead of hamburger, adding in green peppers and mushrooms, and incorporating fresh herbs. I used fresh basil and oregano. (If you don’t have fresh on hand, I’ve provided a helpful note in my recipe with info on substituting dried or ground herbs instead.)
My Squash-n-Chicken Casserole turned out delicious! I think my great grandmother would approve…and I hope you’ll love it, too!
Squash-n-Chicken Casserole
1 package (6 ounces) stuffing mix
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 to 4 cups diced zucchini and/or yellow squash (large dice)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil*
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano*
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups roughly chopped rotisserie chicken
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1/2 cup sour cream
Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in a large, deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat; then add carrots, green pepper, onion. Sauté for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally; then add zucchini/squash, mushrooms, and fresh basil and oregano. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally until zucchini/squash is softened but still has texture (don't overcook and make it mushy).
Place vegetable mixture into a large bowl; season with salt & pepper and garlic powder. Stir in chicken, then add cream of chicken soup and sour cream; mix until blended.
Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of stuffing mix into bottom, then pour in the creamed mixture. Sprinkle remaining stuffing over the top of the casserole. Coat a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray, then place the foil (sprayed-side down) on top of the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes longer (or until golden brown and bubbly).
* Note: When substituting dry vs. fresh herbs, use 1/3 the amount of dried herb called for in the recipe. For example, substitute 1 teaspoon of dried herb for 1 tablespoon of fresh herb. When substituting a ground herb for dried leaf herb, use about half of the amount of the dried leaf herb called for in the recipe.
1 package (6 ounces) stuffing mix
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 to 4 cups diced zucchini and/or yellow squash (large dice)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil*
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano*
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups roughly chopped rotisserie chicken
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1/2 cup sour cream
Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in a large, deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat; then add carrots, green pepper, onion. Sauté for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally; then add zucchini/squash, mushrooms, and fresh basil and oregano. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally until zucchini/squash is softened but still has texture (don't overcook and make it mushy).
Place vegetable mixture into a large bowl; season with salt & pepper and garlic powder. Stir in chicken, then add cream of chicken soup and sour cream; mix until blended.
Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of stuffing mix into bottom, then pour in the creamed mixture. Sprinkle remaining stuffing over the top of the casserole. Coat a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray, then place the foil (sprayed-side down) on top of the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes longer (or until golden brown and bubbly).
* Note: When substituting dry vs. fresh herbs, use 1/3 the amount of dried herb called for in the recipe. For example, substitute 1 teaspoon of dried herb for 1 tablespoon of fresh herb. When substituting a ground herb for dried leaf herb, use about half of the amount of the dried leaf herb called for in the recipe.