Chicken & Green Chile Casserole

1 whole chicken, approximately 3 pounds, cooked, skin and bones removed
(or 3-4 cups chopped cooked leftover chicken)
8 small size corn tortillas, cut into 1" strips
1 cup chopped frozen green chile (mild or hot; thawed and drained)
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Colby cheese
1 10-ounce can cream of mushroom (or cream of chicken) soup
mixed with 1/2 soup can water

Chop cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and cut the tortillas into 1" strips. Divide each of the ingredients into two parts, reserving 5-6 of the tortilla strips for garnish.

Layer first half of the ingredients in a 13"x9" casserole as follows: tortilla strips, chicken, green chile, cheese, soup mixture. Make a second layer of each and top with the reserved tortilla strips.

Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until all ingredients are heated thoroughly and cheese is melted. Tortilla strips on top should be crisp. Serves 4.

Variation: Add (in layers) one 11-ounce can of Niblets corn (or fresh corn cut off the cob, uncooked) to the layers of the casserole.

Note: I have also made this very successfully in a slow cooker for taking to potluck dinners - I suggest leaving out the water mixed with the soup so as to not make the casserole too runny.