Mole Verde Chicken Spinach Casserole

Submitted by Miss Ditter

"This is similar to casserole/lasagna-style chicken enchiladas, but incorporates a mole sauce and fresh spinach. The recipe itself is not gluten-free, but simple changes could make it so. I actually made two versions (one with dairy and one without) and everyone LOVED it! I created this after reading a lot of other recipes that did not quite fit my ingredients on hand, my dietary restrictions (low gluten and dairy-free), and the amount of time I had to cook. It should also be a forgiving recipe in that you could substitute different vegetables and dial up the heat if desired. You can use leftover roasted chicken, precooked packaged chicken, or poach your own before beginning the recipe. Enjoy! --Miss Ditter"

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Yields: 1 casserole
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1⁄2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup mole, verde paste (some prepared versions contain gluten)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 chicken breasts, pre-cooked and shredded
• 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 habanero pepper, minced (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) package corn tortillas (8 tortillas, 6-inch diameter)
• 6 ounces plain fat-free yogurt (OR 4 oz yogurt, 4 oz dairy-free "sour cream" or "cream cheese")
• 1 cup Mexican blend cheese (shredded)
• 1 (9 ounce) bag Baby Spinach (~6 cups uncooked leaves, cleaned)
• 8 sprigs cilantro
• 1 avocado
• 1 lime
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste

directions

1. Place olive oil and mole paste in a medium saucepan, on medium heat. Gradually whisk in 1 cup stock until smooth, breaking up the mole paste. Stir constantly; sauce will thicken. Then whisk in remaining 1 cup stock.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. To the mole sauce in the pan, add shredded chicken, corn, canned chiles, salt, and minced habanero (careful not to get it on your fingers -- it burns!); stir to mix well and heat through.
4. Meanwhile, lightly oil a 10x10 or 9x13 casserole pan. Cover bottom with a layer of corm tortillas (about 4. You can curve them up the sides of the dish if that fits better.) Sprinkle a light layer (1/3 c) of shredded cheese on top of the tortillas. Cover the cheese with about half the fresh spinach.
5. Turn heat to low (on saucepan) and stir in yogurt. Mix until smooth, then remove from heat.
6. Ladle half the mole-chicken mixture into the prepared casserole dish, on top of the spinach layer.
7. Repeat the layer of 4 tortillas, 1/3 c shredded cheese, the rest of the fresh baby spinach, and the rest of the mole-chicken mixture.
8. Top with 1/3 c shredded cheese.
9. Bake covered for 15 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes. Allow to rest about 5 minutes out of the over before cutting.
10. Serve with fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, lime wedges, and freshly ground black pepper.
11. (FOR THE DAIRY-FREE OPTION: omit shredded cheese, or substutute a dairyless option. You may add extra corn and/or spinach. Use 6 oz dairy-free sour cream or cream cheese instead of yogurt. If making two casseroles (one dairy-free and one regular), split the mole-chicken mixture into two saucepans before adding 4 oz yogurt to one and 4 oz dairy-substitute to the other.).