There was something about the Chilaquiles Verdes (think Mexican lasagna) recipe I saw on Daisy Cooks that inspired me to try it from scratch before I attempt to design some shortcuts around it. And believe me, from the fresh salsa verde to frying my own tortillas, this was a labor and time-intensive dish. There are opportunities for shortcutting that I’ll definitely do in the future.

That said, this was absolutely unbelievable and better the next day. While I’ll probably skip making my own tortilla chips next time and just use premade (too much work for something that ends up mushy), I might just keep making my own salsa verde. I’ve never been a fan of salsa verde but the sharp garlic flavor just made this magical.

I didn’t have a copy of Daisy’s recipe, so I eyeballed it based on what I learned from her recipe on the show. My own Daisy-inspired recipe and instructions follow behind the cut.

SALSA VERDE:

  • 12 tomatillos, quartered
  • 1 large spanish onion
  • 1 head garlic, peeled…yes, the whole head of garlic. I like garlic.
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro
  • Mint leaves (from about 5 stalks of leaves)
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed
  • 1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning

Combine all these ingredients in a blender until puréed. The flavor will be very sharp and bitter because of the garlic and tomatillos, but the cooking will make it milder and almost sweet. Seriously, it’s like magic. Pour purée into a saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, for at least one hour, until some of the moisture is cooked away and the color turns to a pretty olive green.

CHILAQUILES:

  • 1 whole chicken, or four chicken quarters (I used legs & thighs, 29¢ a pound!)
  • 12 white corn tortillas, fried, or 12 unsalted tostadas
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of chihuahua, pepperjack and sharp cheddar)
  • 1.5 cup and .5 cup salsa verde, keep separate

1. Put chicken in crock pot with seasonings. I used the remains of a jar of mustgo salsa, and some Penzeys Sunny Spain pepper seasoning. Cook for 3-4 hours on high.

2. To fry tortillas, I cut them into strips and used a mixture of corn and peanut oil. Take them out before you think they look done; by the time they look done they’ve already gotten a bit too dark and bitter. Incidentally, these are by far the best chips i’ve ever had and they require no salt to be delicious. Unbelievable. But I digress.

3. Preheat oven to 350º. Shred the chicken when it’s done, keeping it in a separate mixing bowl. Add the 1.5 cups of salsa and mix it up good.

4. Put a layer of chips on the bottom of your lasagna pan. Spoon a layer of half the chicken/salsa mix. Layer with cheese and repeat. For the top layer, just use chips, the reserved salsa, and the rest of the cheese. It will look like this.

5. Bake for 45 minutes until it’s bubbly and browned on top. Serve with sour cream or all by its lonesome. So flavorful, so amazing.