Pastel Azteca (Mexican chicken casserole)

This is a delicious dish that could also be called layered chicken enchiladas, enchilada casserole, Mexican lasagna. Something along those lines. My recipe has layers of tortillas, corn, chicken, tomatoes, some spiciness and a creamy sauce to bind it all. It's great for using leftover chicken and can be made ahead and frozen.

Originally posted in 2012, I updated this post with new images, text and a tweak in the recipe to make it better!

Going through my grandmother's recipe notebooks, I found a casserole dish, made by Chelo, her very Mexican good friend, that I ate for the first time decades ago and still remember how much I liked it!

Her friend visited once a year, brought her tortillas in the suitcase and invited us for a dinner every time. She made a mean pastel Azteca and left the recipe to my grandmother. I only tasted hers, and don't know how traditionally accurate it is. But it's good people, and easy and great to have frozen. Think of it as a different lasagna.

What is Pastel Azteca?

It is a Mexican dish that consists of layered fried tortillas, cheese, corn and some type of tomato sauce. It's all bound by a creamy mixture which varies depending on the recipe, but is always delicious. There are many recipes for this dish, I'm only sharing mine.

About this recipe

• Easy to make: it comes together very quickly, especially if using leftover chicken.
• Make ahead: you can keep it frozen (baked or unbaked) for a month or more or in the fridge for several days, well covered always with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Reheat at a 350°F/180°C oven until bubbly.
• Versatile: you can add layers of other ingredients, like beans, or spicy up with your favorite chile. More on variations further down this post.

Ingredients

They might seem like a lot, but they're very simple ingredients commonly available.

• Chicken: this is a great recipe for using leftover grilled or roasted chicken, or rotisserie chicken. But any type of cooked chicken works. I like a mix of white and dark meat (chicken breasts and thighs) but they all work.
• Tortillas: corn or flour, use your favorite.
• Cheese: many recipes call for Oaxaca cheese, which can be bought online but is not easily available. When I can't find it, I substitute it for mozzarella and Monterrey Jack or Swiss cheeses.
• Cream: any type works fine (whipping, heavy or double).
• Milk: it's used to make the binding cream more fluid. Any type works.
• Mayonnaise: this is a controversial ingredient but it's found in the original recipe I was given, so I'm sticking with it.
• Tomatoes: any type works. I highly recommend seeding them which is easy to do.
• Corn: fresh or frozen corn kernels work fine as long as it's cooked. If you have leftover grilled or roasted corn it's great to use here too.
• Onion: yellow or white. Green onions can also work if that's all you have.
• Chile: I use jalapeños (or jalapeno) if I can find them. But any type that you like in your Mexican food works. If you can't find them fresh you can use canned ones, or even adobo or just ground chile.
• Flavorings: salt (I use kosher), freshly ground black pepper and some dried chile, such as ground ancho or jalapeño.

Assembling it

Baking it

There's not much science here, except have the oven preheated and follow the time given in the recipe as long as it doesn't brown too much and the cream has firmed up a little.

The binding mixture has no eggs, so it wont bake very firm, it will still have some liquid. But it should not be a pool. So make sure it's baked well.

Variations

• Tortillas: you can use flour or corn tortillas, but the latter have much more flavor in my opinion, a unique one. But both work.
• Tomato layer: use a can of Mexican salsa, the one you would use for enchiladas.
• Salsa verde (green sauce): if you're a fan of this Mexican salsa made with tomatillos, it also works well and adds spiciness. So make sure you don't over do it with the rest of the spices.
• Beans or peas: I used to always add a layer of peas or black beans and I still do sometimes. If you want to add one or both of them, substitute by subtracting an equal amount of corn.
• Spices and herbs: you can easily change the flavor by adding an herb or different spices, especially ground chiles like ancho, jalapeño, serrano chile or cayenne pepper.

My top tips

• Tortillas: you can use flour or corn tortillas, though I highly recommend the latter as they have such a unique flavor. I usually heat them as instructed in the original recipe below, but you can also drizzle them with olive oil and bake them lightly in the oven.
• Vegetables: I like frozen corn as it is available year-round. Chopped tomatoes because I like the freshness they add. But use leftover grilled corn and a can of salsa, they will make putting together this dish much easier.
• Binding cream: it is essential of course to bring the whole pastel Azteca together. Adapt if you feel the amount of cream mixture is not enough or you want more. And yes, it uses mayonnaise and it is amazing.
• Reheating: this casserole reheats like a charm, and freezes well too. Wrap it well, always. I use plastic wrap and then foil.
• Serving it: it's great with a dollop of Mexican cream (crema Mexicana) or sour cream, and avocado slices. A green salad also works.

Related recipes you might like:

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Pastel Azteca (Mexican Tortilla Casserole)

• Author: Paula Montenegro
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Main dish
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Mexican

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Description

This is a delicious dish that could also be called layered enchiladas, enchilada casserole, Mexican lasagna. Something along those lines. My recipe has layers of tortillas, corn, chicken, tomatoes, some spiciness and a creamy sauce to bind it all. It's great for using leftover chicken.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 6 large corn or flour tortillas
• 2 cups cooked corn or frozen, thawed
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes, seeded (about 2 medium)
• 2 ½ cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno

For the binding mixture:

• 1 cup cup cream
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Chili powder or cayenne pepper, to taste

To assemble:

• ½ cup grated Mozzarella cheese or Oaxaca cheese (available online)
• ½ cup grated Monterrey Jack or Swiss cheese

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF/180°C.
2. Oil or butter a glass or ceramic dish, about 7x12 inches.
3. Grate the cheeses with a large-holed grater. Or process chunks with the steel blade careful not to turn it into a paste. 
4. Cook corn with onion and chile in a skillet with a little oil over medium/high heat until softened and slightly browned.
5. Heat tortillas in an oiled skillet at medium heat until slightly charred, about 10-15 seconds per side. just until they lose their softness and begin to crisp. Alternatively, you can fry them in hot oil until crisp but not too brown. Or in a medium (350°F) oven. 
6. Combine the binding cream ingredients in a medium bowl or jar. No need to beat them, simply integrate. It doesn't matter if it's not super smooth. 

Assembling this dish:

1. Cover the prepared dish with the tortillas creating a sort of container. Start with the sides and then move to the middle. If using crisp or baked tortillas they will most probably brake a little as you try to cover the dish. That is fine. 
2. Scatter the tomatoes and the shredded chicken on top of the tortillas. 
3. Add the mix of corn and onion, spreading to cover the chicken. 
4. Drizzle the binding cream on top making sure you cover the edges. 
5. Top with the grated cheese.
6. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the cream is quite set. It will still be jiggly as it doesn't contain eggs. If needed bake a little longer. 
7. Alternative: you can make two layers of each ingredient, lasagna style. Simply divide in half and layer as instructed above.  
8. Serve it with a dollop of Mexican cream (crema Mexicana) or sour cream and avocado slices. Or a green salad on the side. 

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Notes

Tortillas: you can use flour or corn tortillas, though I highly recommend the latter as they have such a unique flavor. I usually heat them as instructed in the original recipe below, but you can also drizzle them with olive oil and bake them lightly in the oven.

Vegetables: I like frozen corn as it is available year-round. Chopped tomatoes because I like the freshness they add. But use leftover grilled corn and a can of salsa (the one you would use for enchiladas), they will make putting together this dish much easier.

Binding cream: it is essential of course to bring the whole pastel Azteca together. Adapt if you feel the amount of cream mixture is not enough or you want more. And yes, it uses mayonnaise and it is amazing.

Reheating: this casserole reheats like a charm, and freezes well too. Wrap it well, always. I use plastic wrap and then foil.

Beans or peas: I used to always add a layer of peas or black beans and I still do sometimes. If you want to add one or both of them, substitute by subtracting an equal amount of corn.

Spices and herbs: you can easily change the flavor by adding an herb or different spices, especially ground chiles like ancho, jalapeño, or cayenne pepper.

Keywords: pastel azteca, Mexican chicken casserole

Paula Montenegro

I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones here, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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