Southwestern Chicken Lasagna

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Chicken, black beans and cheese covered in enchilada sauce and then layered with Spanish rice and soft tortillas. Topped with plenty of cheese, this was a richly flavored dish full of Southwestern flavors. Inspired by one of my family's favorite meals, Mexican Lasagna, this is a great way to use leftover chicken.

If you don't have leftover chicken, a rotisserie chicken would work great in this recipe. My kids came close to fighting over these leftovers. I'm thrilled that I already have a second pan of this in the freezer for a meal next month.

Southwestern Chicken Lasagna

2 cups cooked rice
3 cups cooked chicken, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 1/2 cups ripe tomatoes, diced small or 14 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2" pieces
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 14 ounce can black beans
3 tablespoons Mexican Spice Mix or taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 cup salsa
3 cups red or green chile enchilada sauce, I used green chile sauce
1 tablespoon butter
8 white corn or flour tortillas, cut into 6 pie-shaped wedges.
16 ounces shredded cheese, I used a Mexican cheese blend

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute for a minute or two. Add the garlic and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, beans and Mexican spices. Stir to combine. If using fresh tomatoes and homemade beans, add 1/2 cup of chicken broth or water. Simmer for a few minutes. Remove from the heat, add the rice and stir to combine.

Pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of a deep 9x13 dish, place a layer of tortilla slices across the sauce and then layer half of the rice mixture on top of the tortillas. Spread the chicken pieces across the rice and top with a couple handfuls of  the cheese.

Place a second layer of tortilla wedges across the cheese and pour the salsa on top of the tortillas. Spread the rest of the rice over the tortillas and the corn on top of that. Sprinkle cheese over the top of that layer and top with tortilla wedges. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. *

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is melted and the dish is bubbling. Let rest at least 10 minutes before serving. If you want to be able to slice the servings, instead of scooping them, let it rest an addition 10-20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

*This dish can be refrigerated and/or frozen at this point. Simply thaw completely and add 10-15 extra minutes to the covered cooking time.



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