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{This post is sponsored by Old El Paso! I am using their Flour Tortillas to make this tortillas skillet bake!}Â
There’s really nothing better than a cozy tortilla bake.
I’ve always loved making a tortilla bake over making enchiladas. I just find the rolling of enchiladas to be a little tedious for a busy weekday! One of my go to dishes for busy nights is rice + cheese + any leftover roasted veggies in the fridge. It’s something my dad used to do when we were kids and I have since followed in his footsteps. Today I elevated his rice bake, and twisted it into my own cheesy Mexican version, complete with homemade salsa verde, sweet corn, fresh Old El Paso tortillas, and of course, tons of cheese!
The best part though? This dish is made entirely in ONE skillet! Yup, just one! Everything from the sauce, to the rice to the chicken!
First up, the tomatillo sauce! Char the tomatillos + poblano peppers + onions + garlic in a big ole’ skillet. Once charred remove everything from the skillet and puree into a sauce. Next, use the same skillet to cook the chicken + rice together with some chicken broth. Once the rice is fluffy and the chicken has fully cooked, it’s time to stir back in the salsa verde, and add some corn and flour tortillas. Then just top with cheese and bake! You see… all cooked in one skillet plus a little blender work. Simple as can be, and it’s such a delicious meal!
I mean, how could it not be…salsa verde chicken and rice + tortillas and cheese. Yes, please! Perfect dinner for a cozy Sunday night or a busy Monday night too!
While I will not be making this Skillet Salsa Verde Chicken Tortilla Rice Bake tonight (cause um, we’re at Harry Potter World!), you can bet I will be making this at least once in the coming week. I don’t know about you guys, but the fall always seems to be the busiest time of the year! When I get home on Tuesday it’s going to be GO mode through the weekend, as I have some big posts planned (hello to the holidays…Thanksgiving and Christmas I’m talking about you!), video filming with the brother, a movie premiere to attend for my younger brother Red, and major work on that thing I call, the HBH cookbook!
I am all things crazy excited, then slightly tired and anxious, thinking about that book… but mostly just really exited! How about you guys? What’s on the agenda for your week?
Tortilla Bake should be number ONE. Just sayin’.
Skillet Salsa Verde Chicken Tortilla Rice Bake.
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 577 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion peeled +quartered
- 6 cloves of garlic skin on
- 6 small tomatillos peeled
- 3 poblano peppers
- 1 jalapeño
- kosher salt + pepper
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half
- 3/4 cup white rice
- 6 taco size soft or corn tortillas, torn into 4 pieces
- 1 cup fresh or frozen yellow corn
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
- 1 avocado sliced, for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large oven safe skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and tomatillos and cook, turning often until charred on all sides, about 5 minutes. You may need to remove the garlic cloves before the onion and tomatillos. Once cooked, turn off the heat and remove everything from the skillet. When cool, remove the skins from the garlic. Return the skillet to medium high heat and add the poblano peppers and jalapeño. Cook, turning often until charred all over, about 5 minutes. Remove the peppers and jalapeño from the heat and place in a bowl, cover with a plate and allow the peppers to steam for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, peel or scrape off the charred skins and remove seeds. Add the peppers to a blender, along with the onion, garlic and tomatillos, puree until smooth. Set aside this salsa verde. season with salt.
- Meanwhile, return the skillet to high heat and add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then add the chicken and rice, cover and reduce the heat too low. Simmer for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Pre heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove the skillet from the heat. Shred the chicken with two forks. Stir in the pureed salsa verde, 4 of the torn tortillas, corn, and cilantro. Top with the remaining 2 tortillas and then cover with cheese.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is bubbly. Serve with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro.
Notes
*To make this in a casserole dish, prepare as directed through the steps of adding the cheese. Transfer to a casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake as directed. *For a healthy swap, try using quinoa in place of the rice.
Have a great first Sunday of October you guys! 🙂
{This post is sponsored by Old El Paso. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!! 
}
fantastic, my family loved it!
Bonus was using up some excess tortillas in the freezer.
Hey Suzanne,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Great comfort food. Will absolutely make it again!
Hey Stephanie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This recipe looked so good! However, I was surprised that it was bland. With all the peppers, tomatillos and garlic, I was expecting more flavor! I ended up transforming it into a soup. I added chicken broth, a can of Rotel, black beans, drained, 1 tsp Turkish seasoning, I tea seasoned salt, 1 tea smoked paprika and 1/2 tea cumin. I finished it with chopped cilantro, 1/2 lime juiced, and a slather of Mexican crema before serving. It turned out delicious!!!
Hi Danita! I am really glad this turned out well for you! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
About how much green salsa should this end up making (if I want to use a short cut with purchased tomatillo salsa)
Hey Jennifer,
You will want to use about 1 1/2 cups. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I’m wondering what vegetables you could use instead of chicken to make this a vegetarian dish?
HI! I recommend using roughly chopped cauliflower florets or sliced mushrooms. Either or a combo will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I made my own salsa verde (canned) earlier this summer. What would an equivalent measure be – 1 cup ?
Hey Debra! I would use closer to 1 1/2 cups of your homemade salsa. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
I’m going to try this as a topping for nacho chips so I’ll leave out the tortillas.
Great! I hope you love this Shannon! Let me know how it turns out for you! xTieghan
Maybe I’m blind, but I don’t see when or how much salt/pepper to add. Please help!
Hi there! Add the salt and pepper to the salsa and use it to your taste. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This did not work, everything stuck to the skillet without any oil. Peppers did not char enough to be pealed, I had to do that under the broiler. Not enough moisture to blend the salsa verde, had to add stock. Cheese over cooked at stated time and temp. Was bland added cumin and taco seasoning. I also wish authors would not say salt and pepper to taste, give us a hint, if you actually made it.
Hey Darcy,
I am sorry this was clearly not for you. Is there anything I can help you with? Any questions you have specifically? Did you change anything about the recipe? We say salt and pepper to allow the cook to taste the dish and season it to their liking.
I made this recipe when my boyfriend was visiting and we both loved it! It’s my new go-to for comfort food! What we liked about it is that it reminded us of chicken and rice, but with that delicious pepper mix instead of thick cream or gravy. I highly recommend this! (And thanks for your quick response to my question!)
I am so glad you enjoyed this Tammi! Thank you so much!
I’m a bit unclear as to how we stack the tortillas in this? It’s not mentioned until the final two.
HI Tammi, 4 of the torn tortillas are stirred into the chicken and the remaining are used on top of the bake. Does that make sense? Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
This was a hit with my bf and he is already asking for it again. TY!
That is amazing! Thank you Ginger!
Sounds delicious, trying it tonight. If I were to use prepared tomatillo salsa, do you know appx. how much your recipe yields?
Hey Nicole! I would say around 1 1/2 cups. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you! 🙂
So I was wondering, do you think brown rice would be good in this recipe? I am thinking this is a must make for this weekend! By the way… I just recently made the salsa verde chicken tortilla soup and loved it!
Hey Jen! I think brown rice would be great! The cooking time might be a little longer though as brown rice takes longer to cook. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love this! 🙂
Made this tonight for dinner – so yummy! I substituted corn tortillas for the flour as that was what I had on hand. Will definitely be making this again. Thank you so much!
Sounds amazing!! So happy you liked it! Thanks Lisa!