Chicken and Tomatillo Casserole

This is what a tomatillo looks like, kind of strange huh?
This is another yummy recipe from my new cook book. Once again these recipes are a bit time consuming, but the result is a delicious meal. Next time I make this I am going to increase the tomatillo's to 2 pounds for a little extra sauce.

Chicken and Tomatillo Casserole

Sauce:
1 ½ Pounds Tomatillos
1 Medium Spanish Onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
¼ Cup (loosely packed) Mint Leaves
1 Bunch Cilantro, stems and all, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
1 Jalapeno, cored and seeded
4 Cloves Garlic

Filling:
3 Cups Chicken, cooked and shredded
2 Teaspoons Salt
Vegetable Oil
10 6-inch Tortillas, cut into 2-inch-wide strips
1 Cup Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Remove the papery covering from the tomatillos. Wash and cut into quarters.
Blend the tomatillos in food processor or blender until liquidy. Add the onion and blend until smooth. Add the mint and cilantro, and blend until the herbs are finely chopped. Add the jalapeno and garlic, and blend until smooth. Pour the liquid into a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then adjust the heat so that the sauce is simmering. Cook until the sauce ahs thickened slightly, about 20 minutes. Set aside ½ cup of sauce.
Stir the shredded chicken into the remaining sauce. Stir in the salt.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour about ¼ inch of oil into a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Dip a corner of one of the tortilla strips into the oil; when it gives off a lively sizzle, the oil is ready. Add to the pan as many tortilla strips as will fit without overlapping. Fry the tortillas, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tortilla strips.
Butter a 9 x 11 inch casserole or baking dish that is at least 2 ½ inches deep. Place a layer of the fried tortilla strips on the bottom. Spoon half of the sauce and chicken over the tortillas. Top with 1/3 cup each of the Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheese. Make another layer of the tortillas, sauce and cheeses. Top with another layer of tortillas and spread with the remaining sauce. Top with remaining cheeses.
Bake until the edges of the casserole are bubbling and the top layer of cheese is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from “Daisy Cooks!” by Daisy Martinez