Chicken and Rice Enchilada Casserole

Chicken and Rice Enchilada Casserole

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 container of vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup rice

1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 package of corn tortillas
5 fresh poblano peppers, blistered, skins removed, and seeded
bit of olive oil to coat peppers and coat baking dish
1 jar chili verde sauce
8 ounces grated of your favorite melting cheese

Saute onion and then add minced garlic for a minute longer. Add chicken pieces and stock and spices and cook till chicken is mostly done. Add rice and cook till done. Cool mixture down. Preheat oven to 400 F. Poke one slit in poblano pepper, brush a light coating of olive oil and bake on a sheet pan till skin is well blistered. Place blistered peppers in a plastic bag to steam for 20 minutes, to make removing the skins easier. When steamed and cool enough to touch, peel skins and deseed peppers and cut into 4ths.
Take fresh tortillas and cut in half.

Brush a 9 x 12 inch baking dish with olive oil. Cover bottom with tortillas cut in half to cover the bottom. Add a layer of the chicken and rice mixture. Add a layer of peppers. Add another layer of tortillas. Continue in this manner till all ingredients are used up. Pour green chili verde sauce over the top. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 375 F oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes. Cool casserole for 15 minutes before cutting in squares to serve. Toasty and it reheats the next day for more goodness.