Salsa Verde Chicken Tortilla Casserole
Shredded chicken, pinto beans and green chiles in a tangy salsa verde sour cream sauce, layered with corn tortillas and pepper jack. A half-hour oven dinner for a crowd.
Salsa Verde Chicken Tortilla Casserole
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 ½ cups salsa verde
- 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Layers
- 12 corn tortillas (6-inch)
- 2 cups shredded pepper jack
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack, for the top
To serve
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, cut in wedges
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Mix the filling.
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x13-inch dish. Stir the chicken, salsa verde, beans, chiles, sour cream, cumin, garlic powder and salt together in a large bowl.
- Warm the tortillas.
Stack the tortillas, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 40 seconds, or warm them one at a time in a dry skillet. Warm tortillas bend without cracking.
- Layer.
Spread a thin spoonful of the filling over the base of the dish. Cover with 4 tortillas, overlapping them to fill the gaps. Top with a third of the remaining filling and a third of the pepper jack. Repeat twice more, finishing with filling and the Monterey Jack.
- Bake.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 to 12 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling.
- Rest and serve.
Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes, then cut into squares and top with cilantro, jalapeño, a squeeze of lime and hot sauce.
Notes
Chicken: Poach 1 1/2 lb of breasts or thighs for 15 minutes in salted water, or use leftover roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie bird.
Corn vs. flour tortillas: Corn holds its shape in a wet casserole and slices cleanly. If you only have flour, use 8 of the 8-inch size and tear them to fit.
Heat level: Salsa verde ranges from mild to sharp. Taste yours first and add a diced chipotle in adobo if it is tame.
Make ahead and freeze: Assemble and refrigerate overnight (bake covered 10 minutes longer). Baked leftovers freeze well in single portions for up to 2 months.
