Chicken and Sweet Potato Tortilla Pie with Real California Mexican Cheese Blend
/In need of a Fall casserole? Look no further than this cheesy tortilla pie, with the tastiest mixture of sweet and spicy, all in one!
Tortilla pies, also known as Pastel Azteca, Budìn Azteca, and Mexican Lasagna – are made by alternating layers of corn tortillas with a protein, like chicken or pork, salsa, vegetables, and most importantly – cheese!
Since I’m using corn tortilla instead of pasta to make this lasagna, this dish isn’t as heavy. And with the cheese in this recipe, I get a great source of protein, calcium and vitamin D, all of which are essential nutrients the body needs at every stage of life. Because Real California Mexican cheeses make for some of my favorite cheeses, it was difficult for me to choose which one I wanted on this hearty casserole – so I chose a blend! The Monterey Jack, queso blanco, asadero, and cheddar cheese melted beautifully by the time everything was said and done.
Did you know that California is the leading producer of Hispanic-style cheese and dairy products? When you look for the Real California Milk seal, you’ll know the products are made with milk from California dairy families, who responsibly produce nutritious dairy foods.
For more nutrition information and healthy recipe ideas, visit http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/
Chicken and Sweet Potato Tortilla Pie with Real California Mexican Cheese Blend
Time: 2 Hours
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, roughly chopped
2 tbsp adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
6 birdseye chilies, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1/2 lb sweet potato, peeled, chopped into 1 ½ -inch pieces
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 lb sweet potato, peeled, sliced with a mandolin into ¼-inch thick slices
15 corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Real California Mexican Cheese Blend
1 jalapeno, sliced
2 birdseye chilies, sliced
Directions
Season chicken on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, birdseye chilies, Worcestershire sauce, Mexican oregano, and 1 tsp salt.
Add ½ lb chopped sweet potato, onion, and garlic to the bottom of a large pressure cooker. Place chicken on top of the vegetables and pour over the tomato mixture. Seal pressure cooker and bring to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.
Release the pressure and transfer the chicken to a platter to cool. Add the vegetable mixture to a blender and puree into smooth sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.
Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sliced sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain sweet potatoes and cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Cover the sauce with 5 tortillas, followed by half of the chicken and half of the sweet potatoes. Pour two cups of tomato sauce over the casserole, and top with 1 cup of cheese. Cover with 5 additional tortillas, the remaining chicken and sweet potatoes. Pour over two cups of the tomato sauce and cover with 1 cup of cheese. Finish the casserole by covering with the 5 remaining tortillas, two cups of sauce, and 1 cup of cheese. Top with sliced jalapeno and birdseye chili slices.
Transfer the casserole to the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the cheese has browned and the casserole is cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
If you liked this recipe, you will love my recipes for Chicken Enchiladas with Real California Monterey Jack Cheese and Sour Cream, Spicy Chicken Posole Soup with Garbanzo Beans, and Mushroom Tacos with Fried Eggs!
