Pork & Tortilla Casserole (Chilaquiles de Puerco) Recipe

🕒 Cook Time: 2 hours
🕒 Prep Time: 25 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Description

Pork & Tortilla Casserole, also known as Chilaquiles de Puerco, offers a delightful twist on traditional Mexican flavors, blending tender pork, crisp tortillas, and a creamy, zesty sauce. While this recipe provides a mild flavor profile, feel free to spice things up by incorporating hotter peppers and a dash of fiery salsa. Perfect for a hearty lunch or satisfying snack, this dish is sure to become a favorite in your repertoire.

Recipe Category

Lunch/Snacks

Keywords

Pork, Vegetable, Meat, Mexican, Weeknight, Oven, < 4 Hours

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 1450.9
Fat: 115.3g
Saturated Fat: 44.7g
Cholesterol: 292.4mg
Sodium: 1139.4mg
Carbohydrates: 46.7g
Fiber: 8.2g
Sugar: 12.8g
Protein: 60.5g

Ingredients

8 corn tortillas (stale tortillas work best)
2 lbs boneless pork shoulder
2 onions
1 tsp salt
Water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 poblano chiles
2 anaheim chilies
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 cup light sour cream

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients:
- If using fresh tortillas, allow them to stale slightly. Once stale, cut the tortillas into strips and spread them on a wire rack for a couple of hours to dry out.
Cook the Pork:
- In a saucepan, combine the pork, 1 onion (chopped), and salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours or until the pork is very tender.
Fry the Tortilla Strips:
- Heat vegetable oil in a pan to 375°F (190°C). Fry the tortilla strips until crisp, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer the fried strips to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Prepare the Sauce:
- In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil. Add the remaining onion (chopped) and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the poblano chiles, anaheim chilies, garlic, and cumin. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the undrained, chopped tomatoes to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the light sour cream and continue cooking uncovered over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture has reduced to about 2 2/3 cups, approximately 12 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro.
Preheat the Oven:
- Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Assemble the Casserole:
- Shred the cooked pork using two forks.
- In a small bowl, mix together the shredded monterey jack cheese and mild cheddar cheese.
- In a greased shallow 2 1/2 quart baking dish, spread half of the fried tortilla strips evenly across the bottom.
- Layer on half of the shredded pork, followed by half of the creamy sauce, and then half of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layers once more.
Bake:
- Place the assembled casserole in the preheated oven and bake until hot throughout and golden on top, approximately 30 minutes.
Serve:
- Garnish the baked casserole with slices of fresh tomatoes and dollops of sour cream before serving.

Tips:

For an extra kick of heat, consider adding diced jalapeños or serrano peppers to the sauce mixture.
To save time, use pre-made unsalted corn chips instead of frying your own tortilla strips.
This dish can be made ahead of time and refrigerated before baking. Simply allow it to come to room temperature before placing it in the oven.

Enjoy the rich flavors and comforting textures of this Pork & Tortilla Casserole, a satisfying meal that’s perfect for any occasion! 🍽️