Vegie version on my mamma's Enchilada Casserole

History: This is a recipe my mother used to make when we were kids. She always made it with real chicken, but we didn’t have it very much because my father does not like Mexican food except for flour tortillas.
I make it when I need to feed a crowd. It always disappears and I get lots of requests for the recipe.
This recipe will be added into my girl’s family cookbook for the Thanksgiving Holiday 2005.



**Note about Vegetarian products. Nobody is paying me any money to show their products. If anybody would like to pay me to show their products, I will take donations :) I am showing you what I use that is available at my grocery store. You can use nearly any vegetarian product that is made to be like chicken. The above product is ok, it isn't my favorite, but the availability is excellent. The cost of vegetarian products seems expensive, but one bag of the product above is $2.98 in my area. I don't buy much chicken, but I don't think the recipe could be made with $2.98 with real chicken. I'm sure somebody will let me know if I'm wrong.

Mexican Chicken

Ingredients

2 10 ¾ ounce cans cream of chicken soup (vegetarian use mushroom soup)

1 10 ounce can Rotel (Rotel is a brand name use any generic brand with diced tomatoes and green chilies undrained)

¾ cup chopped green sweet pepper

½ cup chopped onion

1 ½ teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon black pepper

12 – 18 6 or 7 inch corn tortillas cut into thin bite sized strips (I cut them into 4 wedges like a pie)

3 cups cooked chicken (can use vegetarian substitute)

1 8 ounce package (2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese

Tomato slices (optional)

Sliced green onions (optional)

1. Combine soup, Rotel, sweet pepper, onion, chili powder, and black pepper and set aside.


2. To assemble, place tortilla strips or wedges over the bottom of an ungreased 3 quart rectangular baking dish. Make sure to cover the bottom. Layer half of the chicken over tortilla strips: spoon half of soup mixture on top. Sprinkle half of the cheese. Then repeat the layers one more time only just put a hand full of cheese over the soup mixture because you need the rest for the top. End with your layer of tortillas. (I try to make them look nice. You can do that a lot easier with wedge shaped tortillas. I also thinks it is easier to layer with the wedges)


3. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven about 45 minutes or until bubbly around the edges and center is hot. (I covered it for 30 minutes, and then uncovered the dish for the last 15 and shut the oven off. I don’t like the top crispy so that is why I do cover it)

Buon Appetito!