From the moment Bette Sullivan hopped on the Zoom call, her warmth and humor made the interview feel more like chatting with a family friend over coffee. With a red bandana tied around her hair à la Rosie the Riveter, a cheeky “I’ll Bake Love to You” apron, and a stack of vintage cookbooks behind her, it was clear that cooking is woven into the DNA of this 73-year-old great-grandmother with six sons, six grandchildren, and two great-grands. Her casserole won!

Crunchy Tex-Mex Casserole with Spicy Ranch Drizzle

Made with a mix of fresh, frozen, and pantry staples, this crunchy Tex-Mex casserole comes together so quickly and easily that it can be made for dinner in less than an hour on Taco Tuesday.

By Bette Sullivan

Ingredients

2 (8.5-ounce) boxes cornbread muffin mix
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 (15-ounce) jar salsa (mild or medium)
1 (12-ounce) bag frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup lightly crushed nacho-flavored tortilla chips
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
3 medium green onions, chopped
1 cup ranch dressing
1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

Directions

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and spray a 9×13-inch glass or ceramic casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Photography: Carson Downing / Food Styling: Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling: Dera Burreson
Combine cornbread muffin mix and chicken broth in a bowl and stir well. Spread cornbread mixture evenly over the bottom of the casserole dish.

Photography: Carson Downing / Food Styling: Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling: Dera Burreson
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Photography: Carson Downing / Food Styling: Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling: Dera Burreson
Add shredded chicken on top of the cornbread layer. Use a spoon to dot chicken with salsa. Sprinkle corn evenly over chicken, followed by shredded cheese

Photography: Carson Downing / Food Styling: Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling: Dera Burreson
Bake in the preheated oven on the center rack for an additional 15 minutes, or until the bottom crust is golden brown.

Photography: Carson Downing / Food Styling: Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling: Dera Burreson

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the crushed tortilla chips, sliced olives, and green onions.

Photography: Carson Downing / Food Styling: Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling: Dera Burreson
Mix together ranch dressing with hot sauce in a small bowl and drizzle over the top of casserole.

Photography: Carson Downing / Food Styling: Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling: Dera Burreson
Cut into 6 or 8 rectangles to serve.

Photography: Carson Downing / Food Styling: Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling: Dera Burreson