Rustic Chili-Lime Chicken Green Enchilada Casserole

Rustic Chili-Lime Olive Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I've been experimenting with "rustic" dishes that remind me of farm living.  Rustic to me means simple, quick, flavorful meals usually created in one pan or dish.  The ingredients are fresh from the farm fields.  This dish makes two layers in a baking dish.  This is an easy chicken recipe and the ingredients can be adjusted to your taste, especially the spices.

So here's the ingredients and portions:

Chili powder or taco seasoning (About 1/4 cup; I have bulk seasonings on hand)
Garlic powder (about 1 tbs.)
Cumin (about 1 tbs.)
Chicken (6 cutlets or 4 regular breasts)
Yellow or white cheese (package, grated)
Green Enchilada Sauce (I used Las Palmas 28 oz. "Hot Picante" but there's also "Medium")
Uncooked corn tortillas (1 package of 24)
Yellow Onion (1/2 chopped)
Jalapeno black olives and green olives (1 can each, sliced)
Lime (1 fresh squeezed lime or about 1 tbsp. bottle lime juice)
Salt
Pepper
Vegetable oil

Pour some of the chili powder into a flat bottom plastic container to line the bottom of the container.
Add garlic powder, cumin, dash of salt and pepper, mix well.  Dredge your chicken pieces in the mixture on each side.  This will be very spicy so just dredge one side of the chicken if you don't want it too spicy.

Heat some oil in a pan and add the chicken pieces.  Cook on each side about 3-4 minutes depending on thickness of the meat.  Remove from the pan and cool.  Once cooled, shred the chicken pieces.

                                                                     3 of my 6 cutlets

In the same pan (without the chicken), add the chopped onion and cook one minute.  Add the green enchilada sauce and lime juice.  Bring to a boil and stir.  You may need to add a little water if too thick. Here you may add the chicken back into the sauce or just keep it separate as I did.

Cut enough tortillas into strips to fill two layers in your pan.  Mix the olives together.
Add some of the sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish or rectangle pan.  Add a layer of the tortilla strips over the sauce.  Layer the meat, olives cheese and then the sauce again.  On top layer, add the meat, olives and sauce but end with the cheese on top.

Bake in 375° oven for about 20 minutes until bubbly.  Let rest a few minutes before cutting.  Top with sour cream if desired.

Enjoy!  Please let me know your adaptations and I'll include them in the recipe.

See another rustic recipe here