A Santa Fe Favorite: Chicken Tortilla Casserole

I was lucky enough to spend the weekend in Santa Fe a couple of weeks ago. Adobe. Hummingbirds. Aspen trees. Turquoise. And of course, green chiles, posole, stacked enchiladas and tequila. The place has really grown on me in the last several years...and I was culinarily inspired more than ever before this time.

Visited Pasqual's for the first time. Enjoyed perfectly grilled shrimp and fresh guacamole. And a vegetable-filled papusa drizzled with chile sauce and served alongside fresh and tangy escabeche. I've bought both cookbooks that chef Katharine Kagle has put out and I can't wait to start experimenting.

(It's a perfect time to try my hand at Santa Fe cooking. The Hatch chile crop is now here in Dallas at Whole Foods and Central Market. I'm planning to pick up a batch and whip up some chile sauce. Might just freeze enough for the winter.)

I also hit Maria's, one of my traditional haunts. They offer a menu of hundreds of margaritas and traditional Santa Fe favorites like chile rellenos and tamales. The daily special was a creamy casserole of chicken, corn tortillas, sour cream and cheese sauce, and chunks of tender fresh green chile. It reminded me of this family favorite. It's a staple of our Christmas eve meal. This year, I just might substitute fresh green chiles for the canned version the recipe calls for.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

12 corn tortillas
1 small onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 small (4.5 oz.) cans chopped green chiles (plus half their juice)
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
4 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use all white meat, but you could easily get 4 cups of chicken from one store-bought rotisserie chicken)
3/4 lb shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 lb shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (Don't worry too much about cheese ratio. I usually just buy the Mexican blend pre-shredded cheese you can get at the grocery store.)

Fry corn tortillas in oil until just soft. Set aside to drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, tear into pieces just bigger than bite sized.

Combine onion, soups, sour cream, chilies and garlic salt. Blend well.

To assemble casserole, arrange half tortillas pieces in bottom of greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Cover with half of chicken. Layer in half of soup mixture and sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat layers, ending with cheese.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.