This recipe is posted per request from a friend who ate it with us last week. The method for roasting and deskining peppers included in this recipe is a handy one to know. I changed a couple ingredients to cheaper things, like green instead of red bell peppers, and I increased other ingredients. For the cheese, I used odds and ends that I had in the fridge. As long as it adds up to about 3 cups, it should be fine. This is a great recipe if you have leftover chicken hanging around.
Chicken Poblano Casserole
modified from Cooking Light 2007
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2 poblano chilis
1 bell pepper
1/2 small bag of frozen corn
1/3 c. flour
1 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp pepper
3 1/2 c. milk
3 cups cheese, some combination of cheddar, colby jack, and moterey jack
1/2 of a medium onion, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
2 large eggs
15 oz ricotta cheese (sm carton)
12-18 corn tortillas
2 c. cooked chopped chicken
1 c. sliced green onions
Preheat broiler.
Take corn out of the freezer and put the needed amount in a bowl. Set aside. (If you think about it, set the corn out a little early so it can thaw. You can always microwave it briefly if it is still frozen, later)
Wash and cut poblano and bell peppers in half, lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes. Placed on a foil lined jelly roll pan or baking sheet, skin sides up. Broil 10 minutes or until peppers are blackened. Place peppers in a plastic ziploc bag and seal it. Let stand 10 minutes.
While the peppers are sitting, in a large sauce pan, place flour, milk, 1/2 tsp. of salt, and the black pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring very often, until thick (like gravy), about 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
Take the peppers out of their ziploc bag. The skins should easily peel off. Discard the skins.
Place the poblano peppers into a bender or food processor with one cup of the milk mixture. Process until smooth. Return the poblano milk blend to the remaining milk mixture. Stir and set aside.
If using a food processor, use it to chop the bell pepper. Otherwise, chop the bell pepper by hand (with a knife! You are not a ninja cook!) and put it in a large mixing bowl. To the bowl, add the corn, 1/2 tsp salt, the onion, eggs, cilantro, 1 c. of cheese, and the ricotta cheese. Mix well.
Cut the tortillas into four wedges each. Cut a couple of the tortillas in smaller pieces, about an inch square and save these for the last layer.
Spray a 13×9 casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread half a cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Arrange the tortilla wedges on the bottom of the dish so that they slightly overlap and cover the bottom. Spread half the ricotta cheese mixture on top of the tortillas followed by half the chicken. Sprinkle 1/2 c. of the green onions and 2/3 c. of cheese on top. Pour about 1 c. of the poblano sauce over the top. Place another layer of tortillas on top of the first layer. Repeat the layers with the remaining ricotta mixture, chicken, green onions, and cheese. Sprinkle the small tortillas pieces over the top of the last layer. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of it all.
Tear a piece of foil large enough to cover the dish. Coat one side of the foil with coking spray. Place foil, coated side down on top of the pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
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