Mona's Acapulco Chicken

This is the ultimate make-ahead Mexican casserole. Assemble everything the night before, refrigerate for 24 hours, then bake for an hour the next day. The overnight rest lets the tortillas soak up the sour cream and chicken soup mixture, softening into a tamale-like texture that holds the casserole together.

Cut corn tortillas line the bottom of the dish, then a mixture of chopped baked chicken, sour cream, sauteed mushrooms, canned green chiles, onion, slivered almonds, and oregano gets layered on top. Undiluted cream of chicken soup goes over everything as a binding layer. After the overnight rest, sharp cheddar gets scattered across the top before baking.

The green chiles and oregano give it a gentle Southwestern warmth without real heat. The almonds add crunch that survives the baking, which is unusual in a casserole this wet. And the sour cream keeps the chicken from drying out during the hour-long bake.

Kitchen Tips

• Use leftover baked or rotisserie chicken. Don’t cook chicken specifically for this. The beauty is using what you already have.
• The 24-hour refrigeration is the key to texture. Skipping it means dry tortillas and a casserole that falls apart.
• Use undiluted cream of chicken soup. Diluting it makes the casserole watery.
• Let the casserole rest 10 minutes after baking before cutting. It needs time to set.

Variations

• Add a layer of black beans between the tortillas and the chicken for more protein and fiber.
• Swap sharp cheddar for pepper jack for a spicier, gooier topping.
• Use flour tortillas instead of corn for a softer, less chewy texture.