Mexican Chicken Casserole with Corn Tortilla Layers

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped (420 g)
• 2 cups red enchilada sauce (480 g)
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream (240 g)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (3 g)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (3 g)
• 15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed (425 g)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed (220 g)
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles (113 g)
• 18 six-inch corn tortillas (360 g)
• 3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese, divided (300 g)
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (28 g)

Instructions

1. Heat oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, coating corners. Stir enchilada sauce, sour cream, cumin, and garlic powder in a large bowl until fully smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture.
2. Mix filling. Add chicken, beans, corn, chiles, and 2 cups cheese to the sauce. Fold gently until evenly coated. Keep the chicken in bite-size pieces, and avoid crushing the beans while stirring.
3. Start layers. Spread a thin layer of sauce across the dish bottom. Arrange six tortillas, overlapping and tearing them to cover gaps. Spoon over half the filling and level gently with the back of a spoon.
4. Repeat and cover. Add six more tortillas, then the remaining filling. Top with the final six tortillas and remaining cheese. Cover tightly with foil, leaving the cheese untouched by the foil.
5. Bake and brown. Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the cheese browns in spots and sauce bubbles at edges. Check the center reaches 165°F.
6. Rest and serve. Rest casserole for 10 minutes before cutting six squares. Top with cilantro, avocado, scallions, jalapeños, or chips. Serve immediately on individual plates, keeping extra hot sauce and lime wedges at the table.

Notes

• Red enchilada sauce gives the familiar casserole flavor, but salsa verde is a workable swap. Choose a thicker sauce, and reduce it briefly if it seems watery before mixing with sour cream.
• Chicken amounts can vary slightly because rotisserie birds differ in size. Measure 3 packed cups after removing skin and bones; dark meat is particularly useful for freezer portions because it stays more forgiving when reheated.

Nutrition Facts