Enchilada Chicken

No, not chicken enchiladas. Instead, this oven-bake replicates their taste without the time-consuming task of building a chili sauce and stuffi ng tortillas. Remove the skin from the chicken because it will leach too much fat into the dish. To make the dish in advance, complete the recipe through step 3, then cover and refrigerate the casserole for 1 day or freeze it for 1 month (never refreeze thawed chicken and let the casserole thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking).

2 cups homemade salsa
or purchased salsa, preferably a chunky, garden-vegetable variety that’s not too sweet

5 tablespoons chili powder

One 4- to 5-pound chicken, giblets and neck removed, cut into 9 pieces and the skin removed

12⁄3 cups canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed

8 ounces Cheddar, shredded through the large holes of a box grater

• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Place the salsa and chili powder in a large blender or a food processor fi tted with the chopping blade; blend or process until smooth.
• Lay the skinless pieces of chicken bone side down in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle the beans among the pieces, then pour the salsa mixture over the chicken, coating everything.
• Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.
• Baste the chicken with the sauce, then sprinkle the cheese over the dish. Continue baking until the sauce is bubbling, the cheese has melted, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh without touching the bone registers 165°F (our preference) or 180°F (the USDA recommendation), about 15 more minutes.
• Variations: Customize this dish to your heart’s content by simply varying the salsa you use.
• Use 4 to 5 pounds skinless chicken thighs and legs, rather than a whole chicken.
• Or use 4 to 5 pounds skinless chicken breasts, but cook the dish only 30 minutes before adding the cheese. Do not use boneless chicken pieces.

Makes 6 to 8 servings