Green Chicken Enchiladas Casserole
A Quick, Easy, Delicious Enchiladas Recipe Filled with Chicken
Oct 27, 2008
Chicken enchiladas can be fussy to roll, stuff, bake, and serve in quantity. This layered recipe using convenient store-bought ingredients makes them easy and delicious.
How often have you gone to the trouble to bake a batch of chicken enchiladas, only to have the individual stuffed and rolled tortillas fall apart when you try to serve them?
The secret to getting the great taste of a chicken enchiladas recipe with ease can be found in layering tortillas, chicken, sauce, and cheese like a lasagna and then baking them. Then, just cut the casserole into squares and serve with a spatula. The not-too-spicy results are easy, beautiful, and absolutely delicious.
Adding a touch of sour cream to the sauce before layering gives the rich taste of so-called Swiss enchiladas. If you like, substitute canned red enchilada sauce for the green sauce. In addition to the avocado garnish, you can also sprinkle on some sliced pitted black olives.
Green Chicken Enchiladas Casserole Recipe
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
- 1 package (1 dozen) corn tortillas
- 1 (19-ounce) can green enchilada sauce
- 2 cups good-quality canned chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 pounds (approximate) boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast half cut lengthwise in half
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
- Nonstick cooking spray (preferably olive oil- or butter-flavored)
- 1 (8-ounce) package shredded Mexican-blend cheese (cheddar and Monterey Jack) or an equivalent quantity of those two cheeses, finely shredded
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted and thinly sliced
Directions:
- Toast the tortillas until uniformly lightly browned but still soft and flexible. You can do this to them individually by placing them directly on a stove burner over a very low gas flame, turning them frequently and moving them around to avoid burning them. Or you can spread them in batches on a baking sheet and broil under the broiler, turning them once. The important thing is to keep a very close eye on them, as they’ll go from browned to burnt very quickly! Set the browned tortillas aside.
- Put the enchilada sauce, chicken broth, and oregano in a large high-sided sauté pan or frying pan and stir them together. Add the chicken, distributing it in an even layer. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. With a fork, transfer the chicken pieces to a bowl or plate and leave at room temperature until they’re just cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes
- Meanwhile, raise the heat under the sauce and continue simmering until it’s thicker and slightly reduced in volume but still very fluid, about 10 minutes. While stirring with a wire whisk, sprinkle in the cornmeal and continue simmering until the sauce is as thick as heavy cream, about 5 minutes more.
- Spoon the sour cream into the sauce and stir well with the whisk to blend it in.
- Spray a 9-by-13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To begin assembling the casserole, tear a tortilla in half. Dip a half in the pan of sauce and place it in the bottom of the baking dish, aligning its straight torn side with one edge of the dish. Do the same with the other half on another part of the dish’s bottom. Then do the same procedure with a second tortilla; and then with a third, tearing this one into smaller pieces that fit together sort of like a loose jigsaw puzzle, forming a fairly even layer of tortilla on the bottom of the dish.
- Next, tear about one third of the cooked chicken into small bite-sized shreds, discarding any bits of fat or gristle; distribute these pieces evenly over the tortillas. Spoon about one quarter of the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, and then sprinkle evenly with about one quarter of the cheese.
- Repeat the process described in steps 6 and 7 above with another 3 tortillas; another third of the chicken; another quarter of the sauce; and another quarter of the cheese. Then, do a third layer of each. Top the casserole with a fourth layer of tortillas, the remaining sauce, and the remaining cheese.
- Put the baking dish in the preheated oven. Bake until it is hot and bubbly and the cheese on top is nicely browned, 30 to 45 minutes. (If you’re in a hurry or taking your time, you can raise or lower the temperature by about 25°F to speed things up or slow them down a bit. This isn’t exact science!)
- Before serving, let the casserole rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes (if you can wait that long!) to let the layers settle a bit. Then, with a sharp knife, cut into squares or rectangles and remove them with a sturdy spatula, slipping it down the side and under each portion to lift it out. Garnish with sliced avocado.
Ice cold beer makes a great drink to enjoy with the dish. Serve rice or a salad alongside, if you like.
Looking for more great Mexican recipes? Check out Tequila Chicken Chili, Shredded Beef Chili, or Grilled Chicken Fajitas!
The copyright of the article Green Chicken Enchiladas Casserole in Dinner Recipes is owned by Norman Kolpas. Permission to republish Green Chicken Enchiladas Casserole in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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