Ranchero Chicken Crostada

There are a couple of alternate titles that would fit this recipe perfectly. One is “Savory Mexican Chicken Taco Pizza Pie.” The other is the one that I prefer, which is “Complete and Total Deliciousness.”

When you start out with a list of ingredients like the ones below, there’s really no way possible that the end result could taste bad. I love the way the ranch seasoning blend works with the Mexican spices and vegetables in this dish. I played around with the filling ingredients a little bit, and I mixed together equal parts ranch dressing and sour cream to dollop on the top. You could even prepare the filling the night before to make this perfect for a weeknight dinner. It doesn’t take very long, it’s a break from the norm, and it’s really, really delicious.

Ranchero Chicken Crostada
adapted from My Recipe Box

1 prepared pie crust, thawed
2 cups shredded chicken
1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 to 1 1/2 cups mild salsa
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
Ranch dressing and sour cream for serving

1. Roll crust onto baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In large mixing bowl, mix chicken, beans, corn, salsa, ranch dressing mix, chili powder, cumin, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

3. Spread chicken mixture onto pie dough leaving a 1-2-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Fold the border up over chicken to make a deep-dish pizza-like crust, forming pleats every 2 inches or so. Brush olive oil on crust.

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then cut into triangular slices. Stir together equal parts ranch dressing and sour cream, and dollop on each serving.

One year ago: Chicken cordon bleu in pastry