Chile Relleno Casserole

There's nothing like a comforting casserole to place on the table for dinner. It seems that no matter the type of casserole there will always be fans waiting at the table whenever they are presented.

I love this Latin inspired version as I'm a big fan of Mexican food and it has all the flavors and vibes of a really good Mexican dish. Just imagine roasted chiles,  flavorful, tender chicken, oozy cheese and crispy crushed tortilla chips adorning the top. After letting everything bake and marry together in the oven I serve it up with a few avocado slices, lime wedges, and a sprinkling of cilantro for beautiful green color.

The family loves digging into this dish of cheesy goodness and it's one of those great meals that you can take to a new mom, a dear friend just home from surgery, or a neighbor that just moved in across the street.  The chiles are actually very mild, so there is no heat blowing your head off.  In other words, its a "friendly" dish to please multiple pallets and spice thresholds.

IF YOU CAN'T FIND THE CANNED CHILES IN YOUR STORE, TAKE NOTE OF THE WAY I PREPARED MINE BELOW,

When I went to make this for shooting, I actually could not find a can of roasted chiles in my local grocery store so I had to improvise and roast poblano chiles myself.  It's not difficult at all.  I simply placed about 5 large ones whole in a baking pan, then put these in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes, turning then half way through the cooking time. Once out of the oven I covered with foil to let the blistered skins steam loose.  Once they were cool enough to handle I removed the skins, which slipped off easily and pulled out the stems and seeded core.

ALL TOPPED & READY TO BAKE. THOSE CRUNCHY TORTILLA CHIPS ON THE TOP ARE A MUST!

You can make this in advance and keep in the fridge for several days until you're ready to bake.  Just let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to baking so it's not overly cold when you're ready to pop it in the oven.

OUT OF THE OVEN & READY TO DIG IN

Chile Relleno Casserole


1 28 ounce can fire roasted whole green chiles, drained & patted dry
1 pound cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works great for this). (*See cook's note)
8 ounces shredded cheese (like cheddar or goats milk cheddar)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon course sea salt
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips ( I used the Ranch variety for even more flavor)




Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


Place half the chiles overlapping and lining the bottom of a greased 2 1/2 quart oven proof casserole dish. 
Place over half the chicken, then half the cheese.

Continue to layer with remaining chiles, then chicken.

In a small bowl beat together eggs, buttermilk, cumin, chili powder and salt and pour over top of chicken and chiles.

Crumble over the tortilla chips then top with remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered at 400 degrees 40-45 minutes until the center is hot and bubbling.
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Garnish with avocado slices, lime wedges and cilantro.




Garnishes
Small handful chopped cilantro 
1 sliced avocado 
1 lime, cut in wedges 




*Cook's note
I cooked 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs with 1 small can of green enchilada sauce on the pressure cook setting of my Ninja Foodi for 15 minutes.  Then I shredded the chicken and used it for this Chile Relleno Casserole.  It's perfect to use in so many things.