Bulgur, Chicken and Salsa Verde Casserole

The next time you feel like cooking a cozy dinner without spending too much time in the kitchen, give this delicious casserole a try. Use an oven-proof skillet or frying pan if you’ve got one to save yourself some time when cleaning up!

Bulgur, Chicken and Salsa Verde Casserole 
1 cup dried bulgur
2 cups water
1 pound cooked chicken breast, shredded
8 ounces canned diced green chiles
12 ounces salsa verde
2-3 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of aged white cheddar and pepper jack)
Possible garnishes: avocado, cilantro, green onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring water and bulgur to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Drain off any extra liquid.

While bulgur is cooking, combine combine chicken, salsa and chiles and in a skillet or frying pan. Warm the chicken mixture up over medium heat. Stir in cooked bulgur until everything is mixed. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to an ovenproof dish if needed. Top with shredded cheese, cover with aluminum foil or an oven-proof lid, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove dish from oven, top with garnishes, and serve.

Tabbouleh Thursdays

I try to be good and bring my lunch from home on work days, but there some days when I just don’t feel like eating what’s waiting for me in the lunchroom fridge. I make a deal with myself on these days: I can go out to eat, but only if I walk (as long as it’s not raining or searingly hot). A 10-minute stroll is all it takes to reach a shopping center occupied by all sorts of tempting options. I try to fight off the urge to get a cheeseburger or jumbo froyo, opting instead for a big salad or the ready-to-eat section of Whole Foods. One of the dishes they seem to only offer on Thursdays is a flavor-packed bulgur tabbouleh that has quickly become my favorite summertime lunch. Here’s my attempt at recreating it.

Tabbouleh
8 ounces quick-cooking bulgur (I used Trader Joe’s 10 Minute Bulgur)
4 medium tomatoes, seeds removed, diced
4 medium Persian cucumbers, diced
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 bunch mint, chopped
2 green onions, dark green parts thinly sliced
Juice of 2 large lemons (about ⅓ cup)
3 tablespoons olive oil

Cook bulgur according to package instructions. Combine cooked bulgur with tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, mint and green onions. Whisk lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl before stirring into bulgur mixture.