pastel azteca

This is a delicious dish that could also be called layered enchiladas, enchilada casserole, Mexican lasagna. Something along those lines. My recipe has layers of tortillas, corn, chicken, tomatoes, some spiciness and a creamy sauce to bind it all. It's great for using leftover chicken.

Pastel Azteca (Mexican Tortilla Casserole)

corn tortillas

corn

chopped tomatoes, seeded (about 2 medium)

chicken,

onion

jalapeño

cup cream

milk

mayonnaise

Salt and pepper

Chili powder or cayenne pepper,

Mozzarella cheese or Oaxaca cheese (available online)

Monterrey Jack or Swiss cheese

Preheat

or butter a glass or ceramic dish, about 7x12 inches.

Grate

the cheeses with a large-holed grater. Or process chunks with the steel blade careful not to turn it into a paste. 

Cook

corn with onion and chile in a skillet with a little oil over medium/high heat until softened and slightly browned.

Heat

tortillas in an oiled skillet at medium heat until slightly charred, about 10-15 seconds per side. just until they lose their softness and begin to crisp. Alternatively, you can fry them in hot oil until crisp but not too brown. Or in a medium (350°F) oven. 

Combine

the binding cream ingredients in a medium bowl or jar. No need to beat them, simply integrate. It doesn't matter if it's not super smooth. 

Cover

the prepared dish with the tortillas creating a sort of container. Start with the sides and then move to the middle. If using crisp or baked tortillas they will most probably brake a little as you try to cover the dish. That is fine. 

Scatter

the tomatoes and the shredded chicken on top of the tortillas. 

the mix of corn and onion, spreading to cover the chicken. 

Drizzle

the binding cream on top making sure you cover the edges. 

Bake

for about 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the cream is quite set. It will still be jiggly as it doesn't contain eggs. If needed bake a little longer. 

Alternative: you can make two layers of each ingredient, lasagna style. Simply divide in half and layer as instructed above.  

Serve

it with a dollop of Mexican cream (crema Mexicana) or sour cream and avocado slices. Or a green salad on the side. 

Assembling this dish:

Pastel Azteca is a delicious and homey Mexican dish featuring layers of corn tortillas, salsa verde, chicken, corn, and roasted poblanos.

Pastel Azteca

olive oil

tomatillos, (husked, rinsed, and halved)

½ yellow onion, (roughly chopped)

jalapeños, (stemmed, halved, and seeded)

garlic

vegetable broth

lime juice ((about 1 lime))

salt

olive oil, (divided)

yellow corn

½ yellow onion, (diced)

garlic powder

onion powder

cumin

black pepper

chicken

poblano peppers

vegetable oil, (for frying)

21 corn tortillas

½ cups shredded quesadilla cheese ((Chihuahua

Monterey jack cheese

Mexican crema, (divided)

Make the salsa verde. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillos, onion, jalapeños, and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer all the ingredients to a blender, and pour in the broth, salt, and lime juice. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Make the chicken and corn filling. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the corn, onion, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Remove from the heat and add the shredded chicken and the blended salsa verde. Mix together to combine and set aside to cool slightly.

Roast the poblano peppers. While the chicken and corn mixture is cooling, arrange the poblano peppers on a baking sheet and broil them for about 5 minutes on each side until the skin is blackened and charred.

Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil to trap the heat and allow the skin to soften for about 5 minutes.

Peel off the charred skin using a butter knife or your hands, getting as much off as you can. Make a vertical slit down the middle and scoop out the seeds. Slice the roasted poblanos into strips and set aside.

Prepare the tortillas. Heat the remaining ⅓ cup of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Working one tortilla at a time, lightly fry each tortilla for about 10-15 seconds per side. Drain off any excess oil by giving it a little shake while holding it with tongs, then transfer it onto a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Mix the cheese. In a large bowl, combine the shredded cheeses.

Assemble. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, add a layer of tortillas by placing 3 down the middle in a single layer without overlapping, and then 2 on each long end so half of it overlaps with the tortillas in the middle and half fold up along the edge of the baking dish. Spread ¼ cup of Mexican crema on top, then add ⅓ of the chicken and corn mixture, ⅓ of the roasted poblano strips, and ⅓ of the shredded cheese. Repeat this process with 2 additional layers.

Bake the pastel Azteca on the center rack for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling. Turn the broiler on for 1-2 minutes to get some nice brown spots on the cheese, then remove from the oven and let it cool on the counter for 10 minutes before slicing.

Pastel Azteca Rojo (Red Salsa Mexican Casserole)

chicken breasts

½ onion, peeled

garlic,

bay leaf

Olive oil

Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped

tsp chicken bouillon (or more, to taste)

sauce

oregano

½ tsp ground cumin

chicken broth

onion,

Neutral oil

Salt and pepper,

requesón (or ricotta)

quesillo (or mozzarella), shredded

Optional garnishes: minced cilantro, crema, sliced avocado

Place the chicken breasts in a medium pot along with the halved onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf, and salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Remove the chicken from the pot, let it cool slightly, and shred it with two forks. Set aside while you make the sauce.

In a skillet, heat ½ tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Don’t clean the skillet, you’ll use it in just a minute.

Transfer the cooked garlic and tomatoes to a blender. Add chicken bouillon, adobo sauce, chipotle chile (optional), oregano, cumin, and chicken broth. Blend until smooth and pourable. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more chicken bouillon if needed.

In the same skillet used for sautéing garlic and tomatoes, add ½ tbsp of olive oil and sliced onions. Cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Pour the blended sauce into the skillet with the sautéed onions and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Lightly oil the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken and the tinga sauce. Mix until the chicken is fully coated with the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Lightly oil a skillet or comal and warm the tortillas on each side until soft but not crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

For the first layer, use 6 tortillas: cut 4 in half to fit around the edges and leave 2 whole to place in the center, fully covering the base.

Add a layer of the chicken tinga mixture on top of the tortillas. Evenly distribute the requesón (or ricotta) and shredded quesillo (or mozzarella) over the chicken mixture.

Add another layer of tortillas, followed by another layer of the chicken tinga mixture and more cheese.

For the final layer, top with tortillas and pour any remaining tinga sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the casserole.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown on top.

Let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with minced cilantro and serve with a side of crema, avocado slices, or a simple salad of shredded lettuce.

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