The Ultimate King of Casseroles!!

Whenever I find a chicken recipe such as this one, it makes me happy. Not only because it turned out so delicious, but because it’s another way to make sure no food goes to waste.

 

I always make this when I have leftover chicken in the fridge! It’s a win-win; I don’t have to cook the chicken from scratch, I don’t have to throw any food away – AND the dish is just simply so tasty I could eat it every day!

 

This is what one of the readers over at Serious Eats said about this recipe:

Third time making this and its awesome every single time. Great Job and keep the recipes coming. 5 stars all the way!

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 pounds Perdue boneless, skinless, chicken breast (or thigh meat)
  • 3 to 4 cups homemade or store-bought Swanson low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons hot chili sauce (see note above)
  • 1 teaspoon grated zest and 1 teaspoon fresh juice from one lime
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons Land O Lakes unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 2 small onions, finely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
  • 2 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, finely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 2 jalapeños, finely chopped
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 tablespoons Gold Medal all-purpose flour
  • 1 (14-ounce) can Cento diced tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
  • 3/4 cup light Breakstone sour cream
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, divided
  • 8 to 12 Mission corn tortillas
  • 10 ounces Monterey Jack or Colby cheese, shredded

 

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F and adjust oven rack to middle position. Spray 13- by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Halve chicken breasts on the bias.

Bring 3 cups chicken broth to a simmer in a medium sauce pan. Add chicken, adding more broth if necessary so that chicken is just covered with liquid. Simmer gently for about 5 to 8 minutes, until cooked through. Transfer chicken to plate, strain and reserve 1 1/2 cups broth.

Tear chicken into small bite size shreds. Place in bowl and add chili powder, cumin, cayenne, chili sauce, lime zest, lime juice, 1/4 cup reserved chicken broth, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss until well combined and set aside.

In large skillet, heat butter over medium heat to melt. Add onions, peppers, jalapeños, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until vegetables have softened and are beginning to turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook, stirring, for one minute. Stir in drained tomatoes and whisk in remaining chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Cook until mixture comes to boil and is thickened, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, chicken, and 1/2 cup cilantro leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour reserved tomato juice (up to 1/2 cup) into bottom of pan, spreading to coat evenly. Place 3 to 4 tortillas in single layer in pan. Spread 1/3 chicken mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle 1/3 cheese over top.

Layer another 3 to 4 tortillas over cheese. Spread 1/2 chicken mixture and 1/2 cheese over top. Top with tortillas, remaining chicken mixture, and remaining cheese. Bake until casserole is thoroughly heated through, bubbling, and golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before sprinkling with remaining cilantro and serving.

 

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Quick Tip: Adjust the heat by adding less or more of the sauce of your choosing.

Thanks to Serious Eats for this seriously delicious casserole!

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