Ingredients
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
For the Cauli-Tots:
- 3 cups cauliflower roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons onion diced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons fat-free cottage cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 large egg white (or 3 tablespoons liquid egg whites)
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon whole-wheat panko crumbs
- Cooking spray
For the Casserole:
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion diced (roughly 1 small onion)
- 3/4 cup red pepper diced (roughly 1 large pepper)
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 16 ounces salsa of choice
- 1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, and boil the chicken until no longer pink inside, about 10-15 minutes. Shred with two forks and set aside for later use.
For the Tots:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Put the chopped cauliflower into a large food processor and process until broken down, and it looks similar to rice.
- Transfer the cauliflower into a large bowl and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir, and microwave an additional 2 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons of onion, 1 1/2 tablespoons of minced garlic, and the cottage cheese into the cauliflower. Stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Microwave for 20 seconds more.
- Stir 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese, the egg white, the cilantro, and panko crumbs into the mixture until well combined.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of the mixture and form each into a little oval, compressing firmly, and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Spray the tots with cooking spray.
- Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and spray with some more cooking spray, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the tots are crunchy and golden brown.
- While the tots are baking, heat the olive oil for the casserole in a large, oven-safe pan on medium-high heat. Cook the remaining diced onion, red pepper, and remaining tablespoon of garlic until nice and soft, 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the salsa and shredded chicken, stirring until well combined.
- Once the tots are cooked, sprinkle half of the remaining cheese onto the salsa mixture, and then lay the tots on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is melted, about 5-7 minutes.