This recipe might appear a little intimidating but I assure you that after you have made it once you’ll see it’s not that difficult. Essentially you are preparing each layer separately and then you can begin to build your Mexican lasagna. For the vegan version omit the chicken and use soy cheese instead.
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into arpox ½ inch thick pieces
1 red onion, medium sized, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch cilantro chopped
1 lime, juice and zest of
1 green jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
2 Tbs taco seasoning
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs orange juice
2/3 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
2/3 cups green bell pepper, chopped
2/3 cup frozen corn kernels
14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes, liquid drained and reserved
16 oz can of fat free refried beans
6 Tbs salsa
4 scallions, chopped, trim and discard 2-3 inches of the green ends
6 oz grated part skim mozzarella
4 small corn tortillas, cut into 1/8’s
salt and pepper for seasoning throughout
8” square baking dish
To marinate the chicken combine the following ingredients together in a bowl.
½ of the chopped red onion, 1 clove of minced garlic, ½ of the chopped cilantro, the juice and zest of 1 lime, 1/2 of a chopped jalapeño, 2 Tbs orange juice, 1 Tbs taco seasoning, 1 Tbs olive oil, salt and pepper.
Pour this mixture into a Ziploc bag, add the pieces of chicken to the bag and seal it. Once sealed give the bag a little shake to make sure the marinade is mixed and has evenly coated the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours or overnight if you have time. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking and allow the chicken to come to room temperature.
Heat non-stick pan over medium flame. To the pan add ½ Tbs of olive oil, the remaining half of the chopped red onion and 1 clove of minced garlic, sauté for about one minute. Next add all of the yellow and the green peppers, the corn and the tomatoes to the pan. Lightly season with a little salt and pepper and cook all together for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place cooked veggies into a bowl and set aside.
Using the same non-stick pan heat again over a medium flame. To the pan add the remaining ½ Tbs of olive oil, the remaining 1 clove of minced garlic and the remaining ½ of the chopped jalapeño. Cook together for about a minute then add all of the refried beans and the salsa. Stir together and cook for about five minutes. Remove from heat and place refried beans into a new bowl, stir in remaining half bunch of chopped cilantro and all of the chopped green onions. Set the bowl aside for later.
Again using the same non-stick pan heat over a medium flame. Spray the pan with cooking spray and add the marinated pieces of chicken to pan. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of taco seasoning over the chicken and a splash of the liquid you reserved from the tomatoes. Cook the chicken for about 2mins each side. You want the chicken to be cooked through but just barely, remember it’s going into the oven and will continue to cook in there. Once cooked remove from the pan and let it cool for about 5-10 minutes. Then shred or chop the chicken into smaller pieces and set aside in a new bowl.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray the bottom of a baking dish with cooking spray.
Layer corn tortilla down in the baking dish, next spread a layer of refried beans followed by a layer of vegetable mix, then add a layer of shredded chicken followed by a layer of cheese. Repeat once more only this time leave off the last layer of cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and cook in the oven for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
I wait to add that last layer of cheese until the very end. When the cooking time has ended remove and discard the aluminum foil. Scatter the remaining cheese across the top of the dish and place it under the broiler for about a minute or two so that it gets a little bubbly and gets a little browned and crispy.
Let it cool for a couple of minutes and then cut into squares and serve.
