Pastel Azteca
It never fails that friends or family like to get together for an impromptu celebration. Sometimes it’s a posada, an end of the year celebration or just a weekend reunion with lots of food. When this happens I have to prepare a delicious dish for at least 6-10 guests and with little to no time to prepare. Luckily, I have one of my go-to Mexican dishes that not only is delicious, but super easy and quick to make.
Pastel Azteca reminds me of home, when my mom used to prepare this dish for us. There are many ways to prepare this lasagna like dish, but I would like to share my version with you. It’s a perfect dish for the holidays! If you prefer a little spice you can add strips of roasted Poblano peppers as a topping or you can add a Serrano chile to the salsa before it’s blended.
The flavor combination of the tart tomatillos, the spice of the jalapeño and sweetness of the corn, can only be complemented with Cacique® Crema Mexicana and a finishing touch of Cacique® Queso Cotija. This is the perfect make ahead meal because it only gets better when stored overnight or frozen for a midweek family meal.
Note: Click the ‘Products‘ tab above to learn more about the Cacique® ingredients used in this recipe. You can find these ingredients near you by clicking the ‘Find Stores‘ tab, selecting the products you are looking for, and entering your zip code.
WHAT YOU NEED
- 4 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stem removed
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped, divided
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- ½ teaspoon seasoning salt
- 6 cups corn tortilla chips
- 2 boneless chicken breasts, boiled, skin removed and shredded
- 1 cup canned corn kernels, drained
- ½ Cacique® Cotija cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Cacique® Crema Mexicana
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Place tomatillos and jalapeño in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Boil over medium heat until the tomatillos and jalapeño pepper darken in color; about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet over low-medium heat combine ½ cup onion and garlic. Sautee until tender; about 5 minutes.
- Place tomatillos, jalapeño, cilantro, sautéed garlic, sautéed onion, seasoning salt and ¾ cup water tomatillos and jalapeño in a blender container. Blend until smooth.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a 9x13 baking dish, spread 2 tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of baking dish. Top with a layer of tortilla chips to cover the bottom. Add a layer of half the shredded chicken. Followed by half the amount of corn kernels and the remaining chopped onion. Top with half the tomatillo salsa and half the Crema Mexicana. Repeat the layers one more time. Top with Cotija cheese. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until the Cotija cheese has softened and dish has heated through.
