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Serving of pastel Azteca on a white plate. Blue baking dish in the background.

Pastel Azteca (Mexican Tortilla Casserole)

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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.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Units
  • 6 large corn or flour tortillas (I use homemade corn tortillas)
  • 2 cups cooked corn or frozen, thawed
  • 2 cups chopped tomatoes, seeded (about 2 medium)
  • 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (you can use leftover or rotisserie chicken)
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1-2 tablespoons chopped jalapeño

For the binding mixture:

  • 1 cup cup cream
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Chili powder or cayenne pepper, to taste

To assemble:

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF/180°C.
  2. Oil or butter a glass or ceramic dish, about 8x11 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. 

Notes

Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!

Chicken: if you have leftover grilled or baked chicken or rotisserie chicken, it's a great recipe to use them. 

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.

  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/pastel-azteca/