This dish is prepared casserole-style, which means there’s little hassle for you. Just toss all the ingredients together and let your oven do all the work!
Utensils required: casserole dish (a deep dish that’s safe to use in the oven), can opener, oven, oven mitts, ladle/spatula (for serving), frying pan, pot, cutting board, knife
Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes (you choose how spicy you want it)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
7-8 corn tortillas
20 ounces of shredded Mexican cheese (or jalapeno jack cheese, if you want a spicier dish)
1 small jar of pitted black olives, cut into slices (optional)
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
Time commitment: 25-30 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to cook
Steps:
1. Set the stove to medium heat, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven’s heating, place the chicken in a pot and fill the pot with water just until the chicken is covered. Sprinkle in a little Mrs. Dash or a boullion cube to season the chicken (adding a little spice fills the apartment with a savory smell instead of a harsh, boiled chicken odor).
2. Boil the chicken over the stovetop until the chicken is white all the way through. You may have to cut it open and check a few times — that’s what I do.
3. Once the chicken is cooked, drain the water and dice the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
4. Next, put the Ro-Tel tomatoes, cream of chicken soup and spices in a frying pan, stirring occasionally as the mix simmers on the stove. Add in the olives too, if you choose to cook with them. After the mixture has been heating for about 15-18 minutes, add the chicken, and let it all cook together for 7-10 minutes.
5. Now, create a layer of tortillas on the bottom of the casserole dish (you may have to cut some to make them cover the bottom). Cover the tortillas with about 1/2 of the shredded cheese, then add half of the chicken mixture. Continue this layering process until you’ve used up the ingredients (or you’ve almost completely filled the pan). Whatever you do, make sure your last layer is cheese or the chicken mixture — that way it bubbles up and melts nicely.
6. Place the casserole dish in the oven and let it cook for 30 minutes.
7. Let the casserole cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving it. If it’s too hot the casserole will be on the runny side, making it more of a soup than a hearty meal.