Latin Chard Chicken Casserole 


Ingredients:
1 pound Swiss chard, rinsed well and drained
2 garlic cloves, or to taste, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large whole chicken breast (about 1 1/2 pounds), cooked, boned, and shredded (about 1 1/4 cups meat)
vegetable oil for frying the tortillas
twelve 7-inch corn tortillas, dried at room temperature for 30
minutes, or until they are leathery and curled but not crisp
2 1/2 cups Mexican-style tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Method:
Cut the stems from the Swiss chard leaves and chop them and the leaves separately. In a large skillet cook the garlic in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until it is fragrant, stir in the Swiss chard stems and 1/4 cup water, and cook the mixture, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the leaves and cook the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the leaves are tender. Drain the Swiss chard mixture in a bowl toss it with the shredded chicken and salt and pepper to taste.

In a skillet heat 1/4 inch of the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking, in it fry the tortillas, 1 at a time, turning them, 3 to 4 seconds, or until they are softened, and transfer them with tongs as they are fried to paper towels to drain. In a bowl thin the tomato sauce with the broth, spoon about 1/3 cup of it into the bottom of a greased 13- by 9-inch baking dish, and arrange 4 of the tortillas in one layer over it. Spread the tortillas with half the chicken mixture and half the Monterey Jack, spoon about 1/2 cup of the remaining sauce over the mixture, and cover it with 4 of the remaining tortillas in one layer. Spread the tortillas with the remaining chicken mixture and the remaining Monterey Jack, top the mixture with 1/2 cup of the remaining sauce, and cover it with the remaining 4 tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the tortillas and sprinkle it with the Parmesan. Bake the enchiladas, covered with foil, in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 15 minutes, remove the foil, bake the enchiladas, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until the cheese is bubbling.

Serves 6.