Around the Table - 11.14.2020
Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Faith is rarely a flash of inspiration that comes to a person suddenly. Faith is seeded and nurtured throughout our lives by the family and friends who share their faith with us and inspire its growth with their love. It is something precious that has been passed down through generations of my family, and now my husband, Ashley, and I have the responsibility and the joy of inspiring that faith in our children, Isabel and Kinnon.
When considering a recipe to share, I knew it had to be something that, like my faith, was a legacy among my family. Green chile chicken enchilada casserole is a favorite of the many dishes my mom made. The rich smell of it in the air as my family gives thanks for our meal can immediately transport me back to my parents’ table. Bowing our heads in prayer before my siblings and I fight for the crispy, cheesy corners of the casserole. My mom and dad telling stories about work that day or remembering old family stories...I connect to those memories of warmth and love, and I create new ones with my children as we dig into our meal. I pray moments like these are something they connect to when they have families of their own or when they need to be buoyed by the generations of faith and love that came before them.
This meal is especially enjoyable as we enter the colder months, and I hope you can share it with those family and friends who nurture your faith.
Suzanne Lorenc is Secretary of Saint Peter’s Parish Council.
Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole
(This recipe is easy to adjust for different tastes - especially the heat level of the chiles. For the kids, I make the casserole mild and add a hot green chile sauce to the adult servings.)
Ingredients
6 - 8 chicken thighs (can use canned chicken breast if in a hurry)
1 tbsp cumin
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
8 ounce canned diced green chiles (choose heat level according to taste. If you want really hot, try to find frozen green chiles)
15 ounces green chile enchilada sauce (homemade or canned)
12 - 15 corn tortillas, 6 inch
2 cups shredded monterey jack
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil
Instructions
1. Day before or early in the day, coat chicken thighs in oil, place on a sheet pan with onion and garlic, sprinkle with cumin, salt and pepper and bake at 400 F for 35 minutes. Let cool, then shred or dice the chicken and place in a bowl with cooked onions and garlic.
2. In the bowl of shredded chicken, add the green chiles, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, 1/3 cup enchilada sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is well combined.
3. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, pour 1/4 cup enchilada sauce into the bottom, and spread it out until the bottom is covered. Use 3 - 4 tortillas to cover the bottom of the pan. Cut or tear them to fully cover the bottom.
4. Carefully spread 1/3 of the chicken mixture over the tortillas. Cover chicken mixture with 1/3 cup enchilada sauce. Use more tortillas to cover the first layer.
5. Add another 1/3 of the chicken mixture and spread out over the tortillas. Add 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce and 1 cup shredded cheese over the chicken mixture. Using more tortillas, cover the second layer.
6. Add remaining chicken mixture and spread over tortillas. Add another 1/3 cup enchilada sauce over chicken mixture. Cover the third layer with remaining tortillas.
7. Using remaining enchilada sauce, pour over the entire top of the casserole. Make sure to cover the tortillas enough so they don’t dry out in the oven. Spread the remaining cup of cheese over the top of the sauce.
8. Bake 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling. If you’re like me and want darker, crispy cheese, bake 35 to 40 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to15 minutes. We serve with salad or beans and toppings like salsa, sour cream, and pico de gallo.