green chile chicken tortilla casserole
Once again, I found myself not knowing what to make for supper. So, I took inventory of what I had on hand, and this is what I came up with. And let me tell you.... it is delicious! And it reheats very well! You can find the Mexican quesadilla, Cotija cheese, and Crema Mexicana in the Mexican section of the dairy case in Walmart. Or if you have a local Mexican grocery store, you will find all the ingredients there, too.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
Serve with a side salad and this chicken tortilla casserole is a complete meal. This hearty Tex-Mex casserole is full of spice and flavor. It reminds us of a chicken enchilada casserole. Between the cheese and the crema, this casserole is almost creamy. The green enchilada sauce and green chiles add wonderful flavor to the dish.
Ingredients
- 3 - large chicken breast with skin and bones
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon chicken base paste
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro, fresh or freeze dried
- 1 can chopped green chiles (small can, 4.5 oz)
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 can green chile enchilada sauce (28 oz)
- 1 jar crema Mexican cream (similar to sour cream)
- 2 cups shredded white Mexican quesadilla cheese
- 1 cup Mexican cotija grated cheese
- 18 - white corn tortillas
How To Make green chile chicken tortilla casserole
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Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Boil chicken in a large stock pot until tender and falling off of the bone. -
Step 2Remove chicken from pot and add 1 tsp Better than Bouillon chicken paste to make a rich stock.
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Step 3Shred chicken and put it in a large bowl. Add 3/4 c chicken stock to the chicken.
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Step 4Add the spices and toss until the chicken is coated.
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Step 5Add chopped green chiles and 1/2 c green chile enchilada sauce. Stir well.
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Step 6Add 1 cup of shredded quesadilla cheese, 3/4 cup Crema Mexicana (about 1/3 of the jar), and 1/2 c grated Cotija cheese to the chicken mixture and stir well to incorporate all ingredients. Set aside.
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Step 7Cut corn tortillas into strips and set them aside.
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Step 8In your sprayed casserole, dish pour just enough green chile sauce to coat the bottom.
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Step 9Add a layer of the chicken mixture. Then drizzle with more Crema and sprinkle with some of the grated cheese and quesadilla cheese.
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Step 10Cover this layer with strips of tortillas and a little bit of chile sauce.
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Step 11Repeat until you have about 3 layers ending with a layer of chicken mixture topped with green chile sauce and cheeses. Then drizzle with Crema.
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Step 12Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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Step 13It's great with no toppings at all or you can top it with green salsa verde, black olives, sour cream, shredded lettuce, and chopped tomatoes if you wish.
- 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!
