La Bamba Casserole

Super yummy and simple weeknight meal!

I've been making this for years. I use diced green chiles and mix them in with the ground turkey and Rotel tomatoes. I add a tablespoon of cumin and chili powder to the meat mixture. Cook until the liquid evaporates. I serve with sour cream, salsa and cilantro. My family loves it.

I have been making this dish for years and decided to finally rate this recipe. We make this dish almost weekly in the winter. My kids ask for it all the time and claim it is their favorite dinner. I have condensed the steps over the years and can hardly tell the difference. I cook the turkey and then add the rotel tomatoes and chopped green chilies in the skillet and cook it all together with the spices until there is no liquid. I omit the garlic and onion for time. I also omit the salt - there is no need for it. I use a bag of steamer frozen corn and microwave it for 2 minutes and then add that as the 2nd layer. Then I spread the beans and then the cheese and pop it in the oven. This takes 10 minutes to throw together. I top with chopped avocado, tomato and green onion after it is baked. It has never disappointed. We also serve with chips to scoop it up!

I'll make this again. Hard to believe it's light! I used half hot chili powder and half regular but would use all hot next time. It could use more spice. I don't think the whole chilies on the bottom make much taste difference. I didn't have tomatoes with chilies so I used tomatoes with onions and garlic and added a can of chopped green chilies. Served it with tortilla chips, like a dip, as an option. Like the refried beans (fat free) on top. Hubby took seconds and I didn't tell him it's turkey, not beef :)

This was so good, and so easy! I felt pretty confident going into this; I make casseroles all the time & after reading the reviews I went ahead with the changes I had percolating in my head (rather than making the recipe to the letter like I usually do with a first-time recipe). I used diced chiles and regular diced tomatoes, mixed them together, & sauteed them with the seasoned turkey (to which I added approximately 1/4 tsp cayenne), onions, & garlic. I used a full three cups of corn, & I added a can of regular pinto beans to the refried beans. I think next time, I'm going to omit pintos & refried & opt for black beans, I'll roast the corn first, & I'll probably use fire roasted chiles instead of plain ones. We served this with stone ground cornbread, a little sour cream, the onions, & salsa (instead of the tomatoes), & next time I'll be adding black olives as well. This is DEFINITELY going into regular rotation!!

Loved it! Very good. Will cook again.

I used cubed chicken breast instead of ground turkey. I, too, added more spice (as recommended by other posters). And, I added cilantro, avocado, red onion, and some lime slices as part of the topping. We have made this recipe several times over the years and love it.

Pretty good recipe, but I made some changes. I couldn't find whole canned green chiles so I just used a large (7 oz) can of chopped ones. Also, I added quite a bit more seasoning than called for. We like the taste of chili powder and cumin so I at least tripled them if not more (I just start seasoning, no measuring) and added dried oregano, chipotle chili powder, and smoked paprika. I also chopped fresh cilantro and added it between the ground meat and corn layers. Takes a little longer to prepare than I like for such a simple layering dish and like some of the other reviewers have said, it gets a little soupy and doesn't really stick together like a typical casserole. Finding the whole green chiles or using poblanos like someone else suggested may help with the high amount of liquid. Great recipe for WW. Only 7 points plus per serving and the servings are pretty large. We served it with a regular romaine salad. Will use again!

This was really quite good! I like spicy, but left this recipe as is. My daughter really enjoyed it well. It's a keeper.

Very tasty. Easy to put together for a quick dinner.

Easy weeknight meal that is great for leftovers. I think this would be a kid-friendly recipe too!

This was delicious and very easy to make. I didn't have an 8 inch pan so I used a 9 x12 inch pan, which worked just fine. I had two cans of whole kernel corn, so I used those instead of frozen. Also, instead of whole green chilies, I used chopped green chilies and added it to the turkey mix. I will definitely make this again.

My husband and I love this recipe for weeknight dinners. I have been making it since it first appeared in the magazine, and the recipe stays in my on-counter recipe stand!

My family didn't really care for this. Was kind of bland and runny. Probably won't make again.

I hated the taste of this. It came out very soupy as well. However, my boyfriend loved it. I gave him the recipe so he can make it for himself because I won't be making this again.

The best thing i've ever made out of Cooking Light, and the only recipe I consistently make, over and over again. I skip the chiles because i'm lazy, but me and my fiance are obsessed with this meal.

I love this dish and make it all the time but I made a few tweaks to make it spicier. I use sliced pickled jalapenos instead of whole green chiles and Rotel diced tomatoes with habaneros. I also add chopped raw jalapenos or serranos (ribs, seeds, and all) to the saute. I always have Tostitos with Lime on hand to go with it. It is simple to prepare as a quick weeknight meal and it reheats wonderfully.

We liked this recipe. I couldn't taste much of the spices in the turkey mixture, and I had added more than called for. Next time I will just use a taco seasoning packet in the mixture. I will also add more refried beans as the husband loves them. Other than that, solid recipe, and the tomatoes and onions look nice for presentation. Will make again!

This was excellent, added a bit more spice (cumin, chili powder, ground red pepper) because we like spicy. Excellent everyday casserole for when you are craving Mexican food!

Really enjoyed this... substituted "Nacho style Jalapeno slices" on the bottom. Fantastic!

My husband and I both really like this recipe. We sub drained, rinsed black beans for the refried beans. It gets pretty liquidy in the bottom of the casserole but just use a slotted spoon and it will be fine. Perhaps because of that, it keeps really well and the leftovers are even better. We've made it twice now and I'm sure we'll continue to make it.

This was a REALLY good weeknight meal...not so sure it is special enough for company, but REALLY good all the same! I added extra spices as recommended and used "hot" diced tomatoes. It was awesome!

I can't even tell you how many times I have made this recipe; it is a family favorite. I have made my own changes: less ground turkey, added 1 can (drained) of black beans, more seasoning. We eat it more like a dip with tortilla chips. Delicious!

Do use WHOLE green chilies. The flavor is fused into the dish unlike using chopped... take my word, I have done both; the whole chilies is the way to go. Though, they can be hard to find, so a sub would be parboiling 4 poblano peppers; assemble as indicated. When serving top with a dollop of sour cream & sliced ripe avocados or guacamole. I serve with black beans & rice as a side. Also, used Mexicana canned corn. The recipe doubles nicely for an 9x13 pan. Enjoy!

This is my husbands favorite. I've made it a few times, it's a hit every time and great for leftovers. My suggestions: use chunky regular (not mild) Ro-tel, add a tad more chili powder; We thought it was best when I used slightly over the weight meat called for; I always drain any grease or liquid left in the meat to be sure the casserole isn't soggy; Used nearly double the amount of chopped onion and tomatoes on top once out of the oven, thought that tasted even better. I love putting a dollop of sour cream on top of my serving. This recipe is a keeper for us. We serve it with chips and salsa.

Excellent. My husband could eat the entire casserole by himself. I serve it with a dollop of sour cream on top of each serving. Incredible.

Easy, satisfying, can make it ahead of time and then just slip in in the oven for dinner. Great for a week night, and very tasty!