chilaquiles
A flavorful way to use up stale corn tortillas. I always have some in my fridge as I prefer corn over flour tortillas in most dishes.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
When you have extra time for prep, these chilaquiles are the dish you need to serve your family. It tastes like nachos and is similar to a taco casserole. But, what sets this apart is a Mexican-style tomato sauce. Filled with browned ground beef, chipotles add a robust smoky flavor to the sauce. Frying strips of tortillas takes time but is worth the effort. The casserole is layered with fried tortillas, hearty tomato sauce, and a layer of gooey Monterey Jack cheese. Adding Mexican crema on top adds another layer of flavor and slightly mellows the spice of the dish. It's a great recipe to stretch a pound of ground beef.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 ounces whole tomatoes, canned
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 can Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce
- 18 - corn tortillas
- 1 pound Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/3 cup Mexican crema
How To Make chilaquiles
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Step 1Season the ground beef with cumin, salt, and pepper. Brown on medium heat until almost done. -
Step 2Add the onion and garlic. Continue cooking until ground beef is completely cooked. Drain off the fat.
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Step 3Crush tomatoes into small pieces and add to the pan with the ground beef. Add the chicken broth.
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Step 4Deseed and dice your desired amount of chipotle peppers. Add to the pan with the ground beef along with the Adobo sauce.
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Step 5Simmer on medium heat; stirring occasionally.
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Step 6Heat a 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet until very hot, but not smoking.
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Step 7Stack and slice 3 tortillas into 6 strips. Place strips into hot oil carefully and cook, stirring often, until just starting to turn a light golden color.
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Step 8Remove to a plate lined with 2 paper towels to drain. Continue cooking in batches until all the tortillas are finished.
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Step 9Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grate the cheese, if not already grated, and set aside.
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Step 10In the bottom of a 9x13 pan place half of the tortilla strips, moving them around until they are laying somewhat flat and covering the bottom of the pan.
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Step 11Spoon half of the sauce mixture over the tortillas making sure they are completely covered.
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Step 12Top with half of the cheese.
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Step 13Repeat again starting with the fried tortillas.
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Step 14End with the cheese.
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Step 15Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes.
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Step 16Top each serving with some crema and enjoy!
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
