This Skillet Chicken Tortilla Pie is nothing more than a slight upgrade from the five ingredient enchilada casserole involving a c-a-n of red enchilada sauce, chicken, cheese, and tortillas. I’m not going to lie – I made that version a few times in the development of this recipe. There’s a time and a place, absolutely for surely. But the upgrade happened when I went from opening a can of enchilada sauce —-> to simmering all that is wonderful (and probably already in the fridge or pantry?) together in a large pot and then pureeing it all into a beautifully rich, velvety tomato sauce that ties this whole thing together with mild spice and rich flavor and sauciness.
SKILLET CHICKEN TORTILLA PIE
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Recipe Modified from: pinchofyum
Ingredients
- For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- For the Chicken Tortilla Pie:
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons southwestern or taco seasoning (I used this one)
- 30 small corn tortillas
- 4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese (Mozz melts the best!)
- cilantro and Cotija cheese for topping
Instructions
- SAUCE: Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and saute for 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat and add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and garlic. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until very fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the chicken broth, garlic, and tomatoes and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce is very deep red in color. Transfer (half at a time - it's a lot of sauce) to a blender, puree, and set aside. Taste and adjust for saltiness as needed.
- CHICKEN: Coat the chicken breasts with the seasoning. Heat the pan from step one over medium low heat with a little oil and add the chicken. Cook for a few minutes on each side until nicely browned. Cover with sauce and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes so the chicken finishes cooking gently in the sauce. Remove chicken from sauce and shred with two forks. Set aside.
- ASSEMBLE: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Dip five tortillas in the warm sauce and layer in the bottom of a 9-inch round skillet or baking dish. Add a scoop of chicken, a handful of cheese, and about ¾ cup sauce. Repeat layer. End with one more layer of tortillas, a scoop of sauce, and cheese. (And now go make another one! You should be able to make two pies with this recipe.)
- BAKE: Cover with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick oil to prevent it from sticking on the cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is ooey-gooey-perfection. Top with cilantro and Cotija.
Notes
This recipe is pretty mild. If you wanted to kick it up a notch, I would add a few chipotle peppers or jalapeños to the sauce.
I've made a version with pico de gallo layered in as well as corn - both were yummy!
Also, if you are in a pinch and you need to move quickly, you can replace the sauce with canned enchilada sauce. But I will warn you - I made it that way, too, and it's not nearly as good as the homemade sauce.
I've made a version with pico de gallo layered in as well as corn - both were yummy!
Also, if you are in a pinch and you need to move quickly, you can replace the sauce with canned enchilada sauce. But I will warn you - I made it that way, too, and it's not nearly as good as the homemade sauce.
Recipe Modified from: pinchofyum