Chilaquiles!

While that might sound like a really great name for your pet Chihuahua, it's actually a traditional Mexican breakfast dish.  It basically consists of stale tortilla chips or strips cooked with salsa roja or salsa verde (red sauce or green sauce...sorry, I was just showing off!), and topped with fried eggs and, sometimes, shredded chicken.  I prefer it for dinner, sans the eggs.

When I roast a chicken for a family dinner, I generally go ahead and add a friend for it to hang out with in the "sauna" so I'll have plenty of leftover chicken meat that can be reincarnated into something totally different.  I usually take the opportunity to take shredded chicken and make a run for the border and I didn't veer off course tonight.  I could have made enchiladas or tortilla soup, but I wanted to try something different and I love Chilaquiles but they're hard to find on any menus around here. While I had a bag of tortilla chips in my pantry, I wanted to try to keep it a bit healthier so I cut fresh corn tortillas into wedges and baked them, rather than the fried version.  I also really prefer the taste of fresh corn tortillas, so I thought I was on to something special.  I slide the tortilla chips into the oven and turn my attention to the chicken and salsa.  I diced and sauteed some onions, added some garlic, in goes the chicken and just a jar of store-bought salsa.  Okay, looking good!  Sniff, sniff...what's that burning smell?  Yep, those fresh tortillas I labored over are now beautiful little charcoal triangles.  Ay, caramba!

So,  I reach for that bag of tortilla chips that I dismissed earlier and began building my casserole.  Chips, chicken & salsa mixture, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, repeat, repeat.  Put it in the oven at 350 and let it bubble away for about 30 minutes..  Cut it into squares, top it with some crumbled queso fresco (a mild white cheese), diced onions, a drizzle of crema (Mexican sour cream but not as thick or tangy) and avocado slices and you'll have your very own fiesta.