One of the nicest ways to spend a cold winter’s night is sitting down and eating a toasty warm casserole dish. Here in Minnesota, we have a tendency to call those types of meals “hot dishes” rather than “casseroles,” but So Right’s Creamy Chicken Corn Casserole, which we’re trying today, doesn’t feel much like a Minnesota-style hot dish at all. Where are the tater tots? In fact, as a creamed corn dish, this has a real southern vibe to it. We could imagine eating this with a side of cornbread and washing it all down with a cold cup of sweet tea. (Obviously, we’ve not spent a lot of time down south, so we’re resorting to stereotypes here!)
One thing we always mention when it comes to So Right frozen meals is that we’re a bit weirded out by the fact that they come in cardboard trays rather than plastic ones. We can’t ever put a finger on why exactly that is, but perhaps it’s just because we don’t see it very often.
Since chicken has the main billing in this dish’s title, we’re going to talk about that right away. We’re really not fans of the chicken portion in this meal. It has a sickish white-gray color, it’s too gristly, it’s a bit dry, and it doesn’t taste very good. In fact, it’s by far the worst part of this whole meal.
The white cheddar sauce tastes excellent. It has some zing to it, but there’s an underlying sweetness that permeates the whole thing. Whether you’re chowing down on the noodles or veggies, you’ll definitely recognize that sweetness. We really like this, and it’s the perfect choice for this dish.
The pasta has a ruffled shape, sort of like a mafaldine or a farfalle, though we wouldn’t classify it as either of those — in fact, it’s kind of a combination of those shapes. The ruffled shape lets each noodle hold more of that delicious sauce, so we think it’s a great shape here.
Then there are the veggies. When you get to the veggies, it becomes clear that this is a southwestern-inspired dish. It contains black beans, corn, bell peppers, and poblano peppers. Each one of those contributes its own flair to the dish, and this is especially true of the poblano peppers. They add a southwestern zing that really completes this meal.
This casserole has fewer calories than we expected, at 310 (110 from fat) — especially considering the white cheddar sauce, which is typically a fattier sauce (this is especially true for Devour’s White Cheddar Mac and Cheese with Bacon). If you’re trying to cut calories, this dish won’t ruin a good low-cal streak. Like most frozen meals, this does have a pretty hefty amount of sodium. While 630 mg isn’t a lot of sodium for a frozen food, it’s still pretty high compared to healthier non-frozen meals. Keep that in mind if you’re watching your sodium levels.
The Creamy Chicken Corn Casserole is one of So Right’s better meals. We would have liked better chicken or even no chicken at all, but that’s the only real complaint we have about this. If you pick out the chicken, this is a really great meal, whether you prefer to call it a casserole or a hot dish.
To learn more about the nutrition or ingredients of this frozen casserole, check out our package scans below.