Cooking time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lb. tomatillos
1 medium onion, quartered
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1-2 jalapeño chiles (can be seeded to reduce spiciness)
3-4 cloves garlic
1-2 tsp. salt, or to taste, plus extra for boiling water
Black pepper, to taste
Canola or vegetable oil
10 corn tortillas (6 inches wide), torn into strips
2 cups Mexican-blend cheese, shredded, or 1 cup each shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack
Preparation: Place chicken breasts in shallow saucepan, cover with cold water and add salt. Place pan over medium-high heat, bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. While chicken cooks, in bowl of warm water, soak tomatillos for a few minutes to remove resin, then rinse with cool water. Dry tomatillos, cut in half and remove cores. In bowl of blender or food processor with metal blade, place tomatillos, onion, cilantro, chiles and garlic, cover and process until smooth and well-blended, adding 1 to 2 tsp. salt, or to taste. When chicken is done, remove from water and set aside until cool enough to handle, then shred into bite-size pieces, adding salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. In large saucepan or skillet, pour tomatillo salsa and heat over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until flavors begin to blend. While tomatillo salsa is cooking, preheat oven to 350°F. In large skillet, pour about 1/2 inch canola or vegetable oil and heat over medium heat. Test oil by gently placing one tortilla strip in skillet; if it begins to fry, oil is ready. Cook tortilla strips in oil for about 1 to 2 minutes per side or until light golden-brown (do not crowd skillet; cook strips in batches if needed), then drain tortillas on paper towel-lined platter. Once tomatillo sauce is cooked, stir in pieces of chicken. Butter 9-by-13-inch baking dish or 2-quart casserole. Spread layer of tortilla strips on bottom of baking dish, add layer of chicken and salsa mixture, then add layer of cheese. Repeat process with second round of layers, ending with top layer of cheese. Bake about 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden-brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
