Loaded with veggies and chicken, using whole wheat tortillas, so many fantastic flavors come out of this southwestern style Mexican Lasagna!
I tried to wear shorts yesterday. Scratch that, I did wear shorts yesterday. All day. And I froze my little tail off. Yes it was 70° and sunny, but boyyy was it crisp and chilly! I didn’t even know that 70° could feel completely different in two different seasons, how did I not notice this before? Anyway, I don’t know why I wore shorts, I mean, I’m going gaga over all the cozy sweaters, leggings and booties I’m seeing everywhere, but for some nutso reason I did, in October.
It was dumb. You can currently find me in an over sized sweater and black leggings.
In other news, what are your favorite dinners to make this time of year? I mean I know we’re all currently on the pumpkin train, baking allll the things, but we still have to eat real food, right?…right? Are we all obsessing over soups and our slow cookers? I love all the cozy, heartwarming foods too as the air gets crisper, but I find it can be a lot harder to maintain a healthy diet going into these cool months. We layer up and put on our winter coat as I like to refer to it when Spring comes around…then I’m trying to lose it all over again!
I’m going to do my best this year to lighten up so many of these cozy, cheesy, creamy, carb loaded comfort foods, and hopefully you’re interested in that.. I mean, asiiiide from all the holiday baking! 😉
Starting with this Mexican Lasagna! I’ve been making this for years, and over time tweaked it, to what we think, is perfection! This was one of the very first dishes I made for my husband. Back when he was still my boyfriend, and we were living in an 800 sq-ft apartment with wood paneled walls, and yellow laminate floors..you know what I’m talking about. I began cooking in that kitchen, I even caught it on fire making chili once…apparently oil catches on fire if you leave it heating to long without adding anything to it….who knew?
This lasagna is loaded with veggies, lean chicken, whole wheat tortillas instead of pasta noodles, of course some cheesy goodness, and an explosion of flavor! I’ve made it for practically everyone we know, and it is always a huge hit! It’s a great make ahead or freezer meal, and it serves a crowd! You’re definitely going to want to add this one to your comfort food list this season!
p.s. don’t freak if you think the ingredients list seems long, in all honesty, you probably already have most of this on hand!
Loaded with veggies and chicken, using whole wheat tortillas, so many fantastic flavors come out of this southwestern style Mexican Lasagna!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 1/2 red onion, minced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 16 ounces your favorite salsa (I use a mild heat because of my kids, but feel free to use hot!)
- 32 ounce can tomato sauce
- 8 ounces Monterrey jack
- 8 ounces pepper jack
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta
- 6-8 whole wheat tortillas
- Fresh cilanto (optional)
Directions
- Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
- Sprinke chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for 7-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add 1 TB olive oil to the skillet, add the peppers, onion, garlic, corn, and black beans. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Season with cumin, chili powder, and cayenne. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chicken back in, stir in the salsa and tomato sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- To assemble lasagna, layer a small amount of the sauce on the bottom of the pan, layer with tortillas, cover with more sauce, followed by dollops of ricotta, and a sprinkling of the cheeses. Repeat layering process 3-4 times, ending with the cheese on top. (See photos above for clarification.)
- Pop in the oven and bake for around 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Remove and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Like most lasagnas, fresh out of the oven it wont stay in neat squares. When you reheat it the next day it will though!
Notes
This is a great make-ahead or freezer meal!