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The Beer Can House
Wes's Chilequilles Recipe a.k.a. Texas Twisted Casserole
Pronounced chee-lay-kee-yays, it is one of my absolutely favorite dishes. It takes a bit of doing to put together, but it's worth the effort — and actually keeps me from making it too often. Too much of a good thing, you know.

Measurements are approximate because that's how I cook. Try it a couple of times and you'll figure out what you need for your taste and style.

Ingredients
  • Four chicken breasts.
  • Two 7-ounce cans of salsa verde (green salsa).
      We're not talking jars of chip dip here. You'll find these little gems in the Mexican or ethnic-foods section of your grocery store.
  • One 8-ounce bag of shredded Monterey Jack or "Mexican Blend" cheese.
  • About four flour tortillas.
      You can use corn tortillas if you prefer, but I recommend the flour variety.
  • You'll also need some cooking oil or a full Fry Daddy.

    Cooking Directions
    1. Cook your chicken breasts in the oven. I use the broiler to make a quick job of it, but you have to keep an eye on the chicken so that it doesn't burn. Make sure it's cooked thoroughly. No spices need to be added.
    2. When the chicken is done, shred it by scraping it with a fork. I use one fork to hold it down and another to do the shredding.
    3. Cut the tortillas into strips 1/2 inch to 1 inch wide.
    4. Heat some cooking oil in a pan or heat up your Fry Daddy. Fry the tortilla strips until golden. This shouldn't take long: 20 seconds to a minute depending on the temperature of the oil.
    5. Drain the cooked strips on paper towels. You don't want them oily.
    6. Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
    7. Lightly grease a casserole dish. Or not.
    8. Arrange a layer of tortilla strips on the bottom of the dish.
    9. Top that with a layer of shredded chicken.
    10. Top that with some salsa verde. You'll have to approximate how much to use so that you have enough left for the remaining layers.
    11. Top that with a layer of shredded cheese.
    12. Repeat until the casserole dish is full and/or you run out of chicken. You'll want at least two layers. I like three.
    13. Cook the whole shebango in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the top layer of cheese is melted and lightly browned.

    The servings as I describe them above should feed two with a side of refried beans or will provide the bachelor with a hearty dinner and a decent lunch the next day. If the dish is too spicy for you, use less salsa verde next time (wuss).

    Best served with a cold Shiner Bock. (No, I didn't get paid for that.) Enjoy!