WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Traditional Mexican pastel Azteca (literally meaning “Aztec cake”) bears a strong resemblance to familiar Mexican lasagna or enchilada casserole. This hearty casserole features corn tortillas layered with chicken, cheese, and a simple enchilada sauce. We added a bit of flour to our sauce, which allowed it to cling to the tortillas nicely. Toasting the tortillas in a dry skillet was preferable to using untoasted tortillas, which disintegrated, and it was less messy and greasy than frying them, as some pastel Azteca recipes do. A combination of melty Montery Jack and tangy queso fresco provided contrasting flavors and textures that helped bring the dish to life, and we topped the casserole with cilantro, scallions, and chopped tomatoes for a pop of bright freshness.

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into ½-inch pieces (½ cup)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 5 scallions, sliced thin
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 18 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 8 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (2 cups)
• 2 tomatoes, cored and chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Toast anchos in 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 6 minutes; transfer to blender.
2. Heat oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook until slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking often, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
3. Add sauce to blender and process until smooth, about 30 seconds; return to now-empty pot. Nestle chicken into sauce, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; transfer to bowl. Add 1½ cups sauce, two-thirds of scallions, ¼ cup cilantro, and lime juice and toss to combine.
4. Meanwhile, toast tortillas, one at a time, in 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side; transfer to plate and cover with dish towel. Combine monterey jack and queso fresco in bowl.
5. Spread ½ cup remaining sauce over bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Lay 6 tortillas into dish, overlapping them slightly. Spread ½ cup sauce over tortillas and top with half of chicken mixture and one-third of cheese mixture. Repeat with 6 more tortillas, ½ cup sauce, remaining chicken mixture, and half of remaining cheese mixture. Top with remaining 6 tortillas, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese.
6. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let casserole cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with tomatoes, remaining scallions, and remaining cilantro. Serve.