Especials del Sudoeste
Southwest Specialties

For this one-dish feast, 
corn tortillas are layered 
with sliced poached 
chicken breasts, cilantro, 
two kinds of cheese 
and a smoky chile sauce. 

10 large ancho chiles
2 large dried chipotle chiles
8 cups water, 2 boiling
10 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 large Spanish onion 
(1 1/2 pounds), 
  cut into thick wedges
Twelve 6-ounce skinless, 
  boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Twenty-four 
6- or 8-inch corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 
(6 ounces)
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 
(6 ounces)
2 cups sour cream 

Set a lightly oiled 
large cast-iron skillet 
over moderately high heat. 
Add half of the chiles and cook, 
pressing occasionally, 
until lightly toasted, 
about 2 minutes per side. 
Transfer to a plate. 
Repeat with the remaining chiles. 
Let cool slightly, 
then remove the stems and seeds 
and rinse the chiles. 

In a large bowl, 
combine the chiles with the 2 cups 
of boiling water and let soak 
until softened, 
about 20 minutes; 
use a plate to keep 
the chiles submerged. 

Meanwhile, 
lightly oil the 
cast-iron skillet again. 
Add the garlic and onion wedges 
and cook over low heat 
until lightly charred, 
about 20 minutes. 
Transfer to a food processor. 
Add the chiles with their 
soaking liquid and puree. 
Strain through a coarse sieve, 
pressing hard on the 
solids with a rubber spatula. 

In a large pot, 
cover the chicken breasts with 
the remaining 6 cups of water 
and simmer over low heat 
until just cooked through, 
about 15 minutes. 
Transfer the chicken 
to a large plate and let cool, 
then slice crosswise 
1/4 inch thick; 
reserve 3 cups of 
the poaching liquid. 

In a large skillet, 
heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. 
Add the chile puree and 
1 cup of the cilantro and cook 
over moderate heat 
for about 10 minutes, 
stirring frequently.
Scrape the sauce into a 
large bowl and add the 
cloves and cinnamon. 
Season with 2 1/2 teaspoons 
of salt and 1/2 teaspoon 
of pepper and stir in 
the reserved poaching liquid. 

In a medium skillet, 
heat 1/4 cup of the oil 
over moderate heat. 
Fry 1 tortilla at a time 
until it starts to puff up 
but is still pliable, 
about 30 seconds per side. 
Transfer the fried tortillas 
to a large baking sheet; 
add more oil to the 
skillet as needed. 

Preheat the oven to 350°. 
In a 15-by-12-inch 
shallow baking dish, 
spread 1 cup of the chile sauce. 
Cover with 8 slightly 
overlapping tortillas, 
half of the chicken 
and 1/4 cup of the cilantro. 
Season with salt and pepper. 
Cover with 2 cups of the sauce 
and sprinkle with 
3/4 cup of each cheese. 
Continue layering with 
8 more tortillas and 
the remaining chicken 
and cilantro; 
press lightly. 
Season with salt and pepper. 
Add 2 more cups of sauce 
and sprinkle with another 
3/4 cup of each cheese.
Finally, press the remaining 
tortillas onto the pie 
and top with the 
remaining sauce and cheese. 

Cover the pan tightly with foil, 
making sure the foil does 
not touch the cheese. 
Bake in the center of the oven 
for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, 
or until hot and bubbling. 
Serve hot with the sour cream.