Skillet Chicken Tortilla Pie

Skillet Chicken Tortilla Pie for the sauce: 2 tablespoons oil 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped 3 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes for the chicken tortilla pie: 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts 2 tablespoons southwestern or taco seasoning 30 small corn tortillas 4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese (Mozz melts the best!) cilantro and Cotija cheese for topping SAUCE: Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and saute for 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat and add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and garlic. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until very fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the chicken broth, garlic, and tomatoes and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce is very deep red in color. Transfer (half at a time – it’s a lot of sauce) to a blender, puree, and set aside. Taste and adjust for saltiness as needed. CHICKEN: Coat the chicken breasts with the seasoning. Heat the pan from step one over medium low heat with a little oil and add the chicken. Cook for a few minutes on each side until nicely browned. Cover with sauce and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes so the chicken finishes cooking gently in the sauce. Remove chicken from sauce and shred with two forks. Set aside. ASSEMBLE: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Dip five tortillas in the warm sauce and layer in the bottom of a 9-inch round skillet or baking dish. Add a scoop of chicken, a handful of cheese, and about 3/4 cup sauce. Repeat layer. End with one more layer of tortillas, a scoop of sauce, and cheese. (Now go make another one! You should be able to make two pies/skillets with this recipe.) BAKE: Cover with foil that has been sprayed with nonstick oil to prevent it from sticking on the cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is ooey-gooey-perfection. Top with cilantro and Cotija. NOTES This recipe is pretty mild. If you wanted to kick it up a notch, I would add a few chipotle peppers or jalapeños to the sauce. I’ve made a version with pico de gallo layered in as well as corn – both were yummy! Also, if you are in a pinch and you need to move quickly, you can replace the sauce with canned enchilada sauce. But I will warn you – I made it that way, too, and it’s not nearly as good as the homemade sauce.