green chile chicken chilaquiles

I made these just today (!) for brunch. It's deeeelish and can be made the night before and reheated. You can also use other kinds of meat or protein in place of the chicken or leave it out altogether and use vegetables instead (see below for suggestions). I used mild chiles and salsa, but feel free to adjust the heat to your liking.

12 corn tortillas

2 (4-ounce) cans hatch green chiles

2 cups chunky green salsa

2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

8 ounces queso fresco, crumbled

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 2 breasts and 2 thighs)

4 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

Salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or dish.

Cut 6 of the tortillas into quarters. Mix the chiles and salsa together. Lay a single layer of tortilla pieces in the pan and cover evenly with half of the chile mixture, then half of the cheese. Top evenly with chicken (or whatever you're using).

Cut the rest of the tortillas into quarters and make a layer on top of the cheese. Spoon over the rest of the chile mixture, then the rest of the cheese.

Whisk the eggs to blend slightly, then whisk in the buttermilk until blended. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour the liquid slowly over the layers in the pan, being sure to cover the whole thing evenly. Gently shake the pan to distribute the liquid.

Bake until the cheese is melted and golden, about 25 minutes. let stand 10 minutes and serve, or let cool, then cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. To reheat, heat the oven to 250°F and heat for about 45 minutes.

subsititution suggestions (you can also add any of these to the chicken, but adjust quantities to end up with about 2 cups of filling):

2 cups cooked black beans

2 cups diced sauteed zucchini or yellow squash

2 cups shredded turkey

2 cups shredded brisket

2 cups shredded pork shoulder