Farm Fresh Eating - Chicken Wrap Casserole

At this moment, our garden is full of leafy greens which we love, especially spinach and beet tops.

If you don't know beet tops, they are the leaves that grow above the ground while the delicious ruby red beet roots are developing underground.  You eat them just like spinach, cooked or raw.  If you are not lucky enough to have them growing in your kitchen garden, look for them and for spinach at your local Farmers' Market.

Our beets and spinach are growing side by side and were grown with non-gmo seeds from Mike The Gardener's Seeds of The Month Club. (which I adore so much I am now an affiliate for them...more about that later - clicking the link will take you to them for more info) 

Needless to say, we've been eating lots of fresh from the garden salads, combining the beet tops and spinach in "Spinach Salad" and tossing with lettuces in other green salads.  I love filling a bowl full of fresh picked spinach leaves, then pouring home made beef or vegetable soup over top, the spinach wilts and shrinks and adds delightful flavor to the soup.

I also love to add spinach and beet tops to this delicious savory Chicken Wrap Casserole.

Chicken Wrap Casserole

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 9 x 13 inch backing dish

1/3 cup butter

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup unbleached flour

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup cream (half and half is good) try to avoid ultra-pasteurized.

3/4 cup of grated cheddar cheese

3/4 cup of grated mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 to 4 cups of shredded leftover chicken or use a rotisserie chicken

Bunch of fresh spinach or beet tops or combination of the two.  I use a 4 cup pyrex liquid measuring cup and loosely pack it with the leaves.

10 medium corn or flour tortillas ( in the photos I have used whole wheat but corn are really delicious)

Melt the butter in a large skillet.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, stirring often.

Add the flour and stir in well and cook for 2 - 3 minutes so the "floury" taste disappears, stirring constantly.

Slowly stir in the chicken broth until well combined and smooth.

Stir in the cream.

Add 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese and half of the parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and well combined.

Remove 1 cup of the sauce from the pan and set aside.

Add the chicken to the pan.

Add the spinach and beet tops to the pan.

Cook until the spinach is wilted.

Remove from the heat.

I use a soup ladle (approx 1/2 to 3/4 cup) to spoon the chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla, then roll it up and place it in your prepared casserole dish.

Pour the 1 cup of reserved sauce over the wraps.

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top, along with some freshly cracked pepper.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve with a fresh seasonal salad.

ENJOY!

Eat Fresh.  Eat Seasonal.  Eat Local.