If I could do one thing right now it would be to crawl inside these cheesy layers and take a nap.
Last night at midnight we finally washed the new sheets and made our new king-sized bed. It feels like a miracle that we survived the last six years without one. The space is enormous, comfortable, and oddly life-changing—seriously, marriage happiness might be directly proportional to bed size. We couldn’t wait another minute to sleep in it, so a nap was absolutely required.
But also: the soft layers of juicy roasted chicken, melted cheese and tender tortillas are calling my name. I’m tempted to close my eyes and drift off right into the stack.
It’s been a while since I shared a chicken recipe. Truthfully, I haven’t been reaching for chicken as much lately—I’ve favored pork and beef—but this roasted chipotle chicken changed my mind. I’ve been guilty of buying rotisserie chickens as a quick fix: shred some meat, toss it with pasta or sauce, and call it dinner. That worked, but this recipe made me excited about chicken again.
The chicken is the star: it’s marinated, seared, roasted with beer and peppers, then shredded with the peppers so it stays incredibly moist and tender. The flavor is rich and smoky from the chipotle and adobo, with a bright hit of lime and garlic. It’s versatile and works in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, salads—anything you’d normally use shredded chicken for.
I decided to layer it into taco stacks. These aren’t quite enchiladas or an enchilada lasagna because there’s no traditional enchilada sauce—though you could add some if you like. I prefer dipping each white corn tortilla in salsa verde first, which gives the stack a bright, tangy base before piling on the chicken and cheese.
The chicken is mixed with plenty of Monterey Jack, which melts beautifully through the layers. For a fresh contrast, I top the stacks with a simple mixture of diced sweet onion, cilantro, sliced jalapeño and crumbled cotija—basically my favorite easy taco topping. It’s the same finishing touch you might find on great street tacos: sweet onion, herbaceous cilantro and a salty crumb of cheese. The combination brightens the smoky chipotle chicken and creates a complete flavor explosion.
These stacks are fun to serve and eat. Use small 4-inch tortillas for individual stacks, or use larger tortillas and cut the finished bake into wedges. You can slice the smaller stacks in half or go for the fully indulgent approach and eat them whole. Either way, they’re worth every cheesy bite.
Roasted Chipotle Chicken Taco Stacks
2
to 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 chipotle peppers, chopped
- 3 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 8 ounces beer, ginger ale or chicken stock
- 8 (4-inch) corn tortillas
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
- 1/3 cup freshly torn cilantro
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
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In a baking dish or a large zip-top bag, combine the chicken, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, chopped chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, olive oil, lime juice and minced garlic. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
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When ready to cook, heat an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat (cast iron works well). Sear the marinated chicken for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden. Pour in the beer (or ginger ale or chicken stock) and arrange the sliced bell peppers on top. Cover the skillet and transfer to the oven. Roast for 1 hour.
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After roasting, remove the cover and let the chicken cool slightly. Shred the chicken along with the peppers—using two forks, a stand mixer, or your preferred method—and transfer to a bowl.
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Pour 1/2 cup of the salsa verde onto a plate. Lightly spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Dip a tortilla in the salsa verde to coat both sides, let excess drip off, and place it in the baking dish. Repeat to create the base for two stacks side by side.
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Cover the first two tortillas with shredded chicken and a sprinkle of Monterey Jack. Dip another tortilla in salsa and place it on top of each stack. Repeat so each stack has four tortillas and three layers of chicken and cheese. Bake the stacks for 25 minutes.
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Remove from the oven, pour the remaining salsa verde over the stacks, then top with diced sweet onion, torn cilantro, sliced jalapeño and crumbled cotija. Serve immediately.
Say yes to cheesy stacks.