Description
Green chile chicken enchilada casserole delights home cooks with layered southwestern flavors. Hearty cheesy comfort combines chicken, tortillas, and spicy green chiles for a satisfying Mexican-inspired meal you’ll crave again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 13 corn tortillas
- 4 cups cheddar or cheddar-jack cheese (freshly grated)
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can refried beans
- 1 (10 oz/285 g) package frozen corn (thawed and patted dry)
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can green enchilada sauce
- 1 (7 oz/200 g) can chopped green chiles
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce (from chipotles can)
- 2 tbsps salted butter
- 1 onion (diced)
- pico de gallo (for topping)
- fresh cilantro, chopped (for topping)
Instructions
- Sauté Foundation: In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Caramelize onions until deep golden brown, releasing rich aromatics.
- Sauce Preparation: Remove skillet from heat and blend enchilada sauce, green chiles, and adobo sauce. Separate 2 tablespoons of sauce mixture, reserving remainder for layering.
- Tortilla Base Construction: Create the first layer by strategically positioning tortillas in the skillet, overlapping slightly and climbing the sides, nestled in the remaining sauce.
- Initial Flavor Layering: Distribute first cheese layer, scatter corn kernels, spread refried beans, and drizzle reserved sauce to enhance moisture and depth of flavor.
- Secondary Layer Assembly: Position additional tortillas over previous ingredients. Repeat cheese, corn, and bean distribution, ensuring even coverage and continued sauce integration.
- Baking Process: Cover skillet with aluminum foil and bake at 375˚F (190˚C) for 35 minutes until thoroughly heated and bubbling. Uncover and continue baking for 10 minutes to achieve a golden, crispy cheese crust.
- Finishing and Serving: Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes, enabling structural stabilization. Garnish with fresh pico de gallo and cilantro, presenting a vibrant Mexican-inspired culinary creation ready to be enjoyed immediately.
Notes
- Butter Browning Technique: Sauté onions slowly on medium-low heat to develop rich, caramelized flavor without burning, which enhances the overall taste profile.
- Sauce Layering Strategy: Reserve sauce portions carefully to distribute moisture evenly throughout the casserole, preventing dry spots and ensuring consistent flavor in each bite.
- Tortilla Placement Precision: Slightly overlap tortillas and let them climb skillet sides to create structural integrity and capture maximum sauce and flavor in each layer.
- Resting Period Importance: Allow casserole to rest 10 minutes after baking to help layers set, making serving easier and preventing immediate structural collapse when cutting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg