Preheat the Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures even baking and prevents burning, creating a consistent texture.

Prepare the Vegetables:

• Strain and rinse the black beans. This removes excess liquid and prevents a watery casserole, ensuring a good texture.
• Dice the peppers and onions using a vegetable chopper. This ensures even cooking and saves time, streamlining the process.

Combine the Chicken Mixture:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked and shredded chicken, sour cream, lime juice, diced tomatoes, and taco seasoning.
• Stir with a rubber spatula and fold in ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese. This creates a creamy, flavorful base for the casserole, ensuring a consistent texture.

Layer the Casserole:

• Spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. This prevents sticking and ensures easy cleanup, streamlining the process.
• Pour in the black beans, diced peppers, and diced onions. Mix to combine. This creates a hearty vegetable base, ensuring a flavorful layer.
• Spread the chicken and sour cream mixture evenly over the black bean and vegetable base. This creates a layered, flavorful dish, ensuring a good texture.

Add Cheese and Garnish:

• Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top. This creates a melty, cheesy topping, enhancing the flavor.
• Garnish with green onions. This adds a fresh, vibrant finish, enhancing the presentation.

Bake:

• Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. This ensures the casserole is cooked through and the cheese is melted, creating a perfect texture.

Serve:

• Serve with dollops of sour cream, fresh avocado slices, jalapeño slices, and crumbled tortilla chips. This adds a variety of textures and flavors, enhancing the experience.
• Enjoy!