A Mexican version of lasagna, made with tortillas
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 10 dozen corn tortillas ( quartered )
- 10 whole chicken breasts ( bone & skin on )
- 1 large whole onion
- 20 poblano peppers (roasted )
- 1 brick muenster cheese ( shredded )
- 2 large sour cream
- 3 sticks butter
- 2 cans ( tomatillos) green tomatoes (found in mexican food aisle)
- 1 whole milk
- 2 large roasting pans
- Carbohydrate 5.89509375 g
- Cholesterol 57.755 mg
- Fat 15.687315625 g
- Fiber 0.884872514438629 g
- Protein 8.92176625 g
- Saturated Fat 9.6763519375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (87g)
- Sodium 149.0413625 mg
- Sugar 5.01022123556137 g
- Trans Fat 1.16687375 g
- Calories 197 calories
Step-by-step
- ROASTING PEPPERS: On griddle over stove, roast peppers, then place them in a plastic bag for about 1 hour so they can sweat. Remove peppers, and peel them. Remove stems and seeds ,slice into thin strips ( ¼ thick). Store in Ziploc bags if not preparing same day and refrigerate.
- CHICKEN; In large stock pot, boil chicken, onion, and plenty of salt , in as much water as the pot will hold. Boil until chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken and cool. Save broth for later. When chicken is cool, remove skin, bones and fat, and shred the chicken. (Store broth in fridge of not preparing same day.)
- CHEESE; shred entire brick of muenster cheese. ( store in Ziploc bag and refrigerate if not preparing same day.
- Remove onion from broth and strain. Return broth to large stock pot. Set 2 cups broth aside.
- Butter your pans well ( sides and bottoms)
- Cut tortillas into quarters.
- In blender add 1 cup of the strained chicken broth, 1 large sour cream, 1 can of the tomatillo, ½ quart of the milk, ½ tsp of the garlic powder, and blend. Pour into the broth, Blend remaining 1 cup broth, 1 large sour cream, 1 can of tomatillo, ½ quart milk, and ½ tsp garlic powder, and also pour into broth .
- Simmer broth on low-med heat for about 1 hour or until boiling. Check for salt taste. Its ok if it’s a little salty, because the tortillas absorb a lot. If the broth looks to clear like, add more milk also.
- Preheat over to 350
- Now you start layering, just like a lasagna.
- Make sure pans are well buttered. Start with tortillas, layer bottom of pan making sure it is completely covered. Then spread your shredded chicken generously over tortillas. Next spread shredded cheese, and then place strips of the pepper strips over cheese. ( Do not cover cheese with peppers ) or else!
- Then cut sticks of butter into thin pats ( ½ tsp size). Place pats of butter over peppers.( about 12 thin pats per layer). Now you can start ladling in your broth mixture, until ingredients are soaked. Repeat layering process of all ingredients, with broth mixture over each layer. Layer as high as pan can go.
- Sprinkle top with shredded cheese. Bake uncovered, until top is golden brown,
- Approx. 2 hours. Let sit for about 20 min. before serving.
Swapping corn tortillas for flour tortillas in this casserole alters the structural integrity entirely, yielding a gummy texture rather than distinct, satisfying layers. Corn tortillas hold up structurally against heavy liquids because nixtamalized masa absorbs moisture while retaining its shape during prolonged baking. Constructing this massive dish requires careful attention to component temperatures and pan capacities. Organizing the workload across multiple days prevents kitchen fatigue. Roasting poblano peppers until charred requires steaming them in a sealed plastic bag for exactly one hour to loosen the outer skin cleanly. Boiling whole bone-in chicken breasts with an onion creates a rich stock foundation that anchors the flavor of the entire assembly. Separate the prep work by shredding the muenster cheese and storing it airtight in the refrigerator up to forty-eight hours before baking.
Evaluating Doneness Visually
Because this casserole lacks a precise internal temperature requirement in the recipe data, visual and tactile cues dictate when the dish is fully cooked. The surface requires an uncovered bake time of approximately two hours in a 350-degree oven until the top layer of shredded muenster cheese turns a deep, bubbling golden brown. Piercing the center with a thin metal skewer should encounter resistance only from the layered tortillas, ensuring the broth has reduced and thickened completely within the interior. Allowing the pan to rest undisturbed for twenty minutes off the heat allows the starches to set, which prevents the generous portions from collapsing upon transfer to plates.Managing Make-Ahead Schedules
Portions prepared days in advance behave predictably when reheated carefully. Storing assembled unbaked pans tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to twenty-four hours melds the flavors further, though baking times may require an additional fifteen minutes to penetrate the chilled center. Freezing unbaked casserole pans works well if wrapped thoroughly in plastic wrap and heavy-duty foil, provided the dish thaws entirely in the refrigerator for forty-eight hours before entering the oven.
