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"Una De Cada" Enchilada Casserole

This 'Una De Cada' enchilada casserole features layers of corn tortillas, a rich homemade enchilada sauce, seasoned ground beef, and a cheesy chicken mixture. It's assembled and baked in a deep dish, offering a hearty and flavorful meal with distinct beef and chicken elements, culminating in a bubbly, cheesy topping.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 10 people
Calories 7656.5 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Medium Pot For enchilada sauce
  • 1 Large Straight-Sided Pan For cooking beef filling
  • 1 Deep 13x9-inch Baking Dish For assembling and baking the casserole
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl For combining chicken layer ingredients
  • 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula For stirring and breaking up beef

Ingredients
  

Main

  • For the enchilada sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 clove garlic grated on a rasp or finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup beef broth
  • For the beef layer:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 cloves garlic grated on a rasp or finely minced
  • 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 packet about 1/4 teaspoon Sazon seasoning
  • 2 Roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
  • 1/4 cup beef broth
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • For the chicken layer:
  • 1 rotisserie chicken skin and bones discarded, meat shredded
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • For the casserole:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 20 to 24 six-inch corn tortillas cut in half

Instructions
 

  • Make the enchilada sauce: In a medium pot over medium heat, combine the oil, onion, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until the onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and add the tomato paste; stir with a wooden spoon and cook until it deepens in color, 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and thyme. Cook, stirring, until combined and fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Cover and keep warm over low heat.
  • Cook the beef: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large straight-sided pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and green and red bell peppers. Sprinkle with a nice pinch of salt and cook until the onion and peppers are tender but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. In this order, add the beef, onion powder, cumin, thyme, Sazon, tomatoes and broth, allowing time between each addition to stir and blend. Cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, stirring to break down the beef into bits. When the beef is cooked through, taste and season with a pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper. (Sazon adds salt, so be careful not to over-season.) Set aside.
  • Prepare the chicken layer: In a large bowl, toss together the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce and the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. Set aside.
  • Assemble and bake the casserole: Use the butter to coat the bottom and sides of a deep 13-by-9-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, toss the shredded cheeses together. Pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce into the prepared dish. One at a time, dunk the tortilla slices in the still-warm enchilada sauce in the pot and layer them on the bottom of the dish using the straight edges to line the sides, overlapping where needed and covering the entire bottom of the dish. Next, add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese blend, all of the beef, another 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese blend, a new layer of tortillas dunked in the enchilada sauce, all of the chicken and a final layer of tortillas dunked in the enchilada sauce. Pour the rest of the sauce over all of the layers and top with the remaining shredded cheese blend. Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce bubbles, about 30 minutes. Let it rest a bit before you slice it, just like lasagna.

Notes

1. Achieving a deep, rich flavor in your enchilada sauce is crucial. Cook the tomato paste until it darkens in color; this caramelization enhances its sweetness and complexity. Avoid rushing this step. 2. When cooking the bell peppers and onion for the beef filling, ensure they soften without browning. This maintains their vibrant flavor and prevents any bitter notes. 3. Sazon seasoning adds both flavor and salt, so exercise caution when adding additional salt to the beef mixture to prevent over-seasoning. Always taste and adjust. 4. For best results and to prevent a soggy casserole, dunk the corn tortillas quickly into the warm sauce—just enough to soften them slightly without making them saturated. 5. Allowing the casserole to rest after baking is vital. Like lasagna, this brief resting period allows the layers to set, making for cleaner slices and a more cohesive dish.