Chicken Sopa
(from Cloud’s recipe box)
Mexican “lasagna” style casserole! complicated but worth it! Can use purchase roasted chicken
Source: Adapted from El Paso Chili Company
Serves 4 peopleCategories: Mexican casserole poultry
Ingredients
- 24 corn tortillas
- Chicken; 1 large package boneless, skinless
- chicken breasts (about 8 breast halves)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cloves garlic (1 clove + 3 cloves)
- 2 chopped onions
- 3 T olive oil
- 2 cups mild salsa
- 2 1/2 + 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 t cumin
- 1 1/2 t oregano
- 2 t salt
- 1/2 pound grated cheddar cheese*
- 1/2 pound grated monterrey jack cheese*
- *Use low-fat cheese if desired
- 16 oz. sour cream (use low fat sour cream)
Directions
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To prepare chicken: Rinse chicken parts and place in pan, cover with cold water with 1 bay leaf and 1 chopped clove of garlic. Turn heat to High and bring water to boil. Once water comes to a boil, turn heat down to low. Cover pot and simmer 25 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and cool. When chicken is cool enough, shred with hands. You should have about 8 cups of chicken meat. (Note: You can also use this method of cooking chicken to make chicken for sandwiches, chicken salad, etc.)
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Chop onion and 3 cloves garlic. Place large saucepan over medium high heat. Put in olive oil and let heat for 1 minute. Put in onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano, and stir. Turn heat to medium low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, checking and stirring 2-3 times. If vegetables start to stick, add a little more oil. If they start to burn, turn down heat.
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Add 2 ½ cups chicken broth, 2 cups salsa, and salt to pot; stir. Turn heat to high; bring mixture to boil. Turn down heat to medium, cook uncovered 15 minutes. Sauce should be bubbling nicely but not too frantically.
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While sauce is cooking, grate cheeses. Coat large (14″ × 8″) baking pan with Pam cooking spray, or take a paper towel and lightly coat pan with olive oil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
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When sauce is done, remove a scant 2 cups (this means almost 2 cups, but not quite) from pot and set aside. Add chicken pieces to pot and stir until thoroughly coated.
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In a skillet, heat ½ cup of chicken broth to boiling; turn heat to low. To prepare tortillas: Using tongs, quickly dip each tortilla in hot broth before layering. If broth starts to run out, add a little hot water.
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Layer casserole:
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Place 8 softened tortillas overlapping in bottom of baking pan.
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Spread half the chicken.
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8 more softened tortillas.
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Half the chicken.
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Half the cheese.
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8 more tortillas.
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The 2 cups reserved sauce.
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The remaining cheese.
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Carefully spread the sour cream on top.
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Bake 45 minutes in oven until edges are brown and sour cream is set. Yum!