By Cody is on day five hundred and sixty-four. Week six of the writing program was Wednesday. Marcus Wells told the room at the end of the session that the program leadership had asked if any of the eleven of us would be interested in submitting a piece for the program’s end-of-summer published anthology. The anthology is a perfect-bound book, distributed to libraries across Oklahoma, with each accepted piece run with a small author bio. I said yes. So did Iris. So did Antonio. The submission is due August fifteenth.
And the recipe Sunday was enchilada lasagna because the recipe was the kind of one-pan dinner that turns out to be the kind of pan that feeds a household for three nights. The dish substitutes flour tortillas for lasagna noodles in a layered 9-by-13 pan with shredded chicken, enchilada sauce (the homemade version from October), black beans, corn, and a generous layer of mexican blend cheese on top.
The math: a pack of flour tortillas $1.49, two cooked-and-shredded chicken thighs $1.49 worth, the homemade enchilada sauce, a can of black beans $0.79, a cup of frozen corn, mexican blend cheese $1.99, fresh cilantro. Total: about $6.40 for a 9-by-13 pan that fed Mama and me for three meals.
The technique is the layered build. Sauce on the bottom of the pan. A layer of overlapping tortillas. Chicken-and-bean filling. Sauce. Cheese. Repeat twice more. Top with cheese. Bake at 375 for thirty minutes covered, ten uncovered.
Mama said, when she ate this, baby, the kitchen is now using tortillas as lasagna noodles. The substitutions are the substitutions.
The recipe is below. The trick is the homemade enchilada sauce or a high-quality jarred one. The cheap canned enchilada sauce muddles the flavor.
Enchilada Lasagna
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1 can (28 oz) red enchilada sauce
- 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 12 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut in half
- 3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup sour cream, for serving
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes with chiles, black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Layer the base. Spread about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture across the bottom of the baking dish in a thin layer to prevent sticking.
- First tortilla layer. Arrange a single layer of halved corn tortillas over the sauce, overlapping slightly to cover the bottom of the dish.
- Add filling and cheese. Spoon one-third of the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas and spread evenly. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of shredded cheese.
- Repeat layers. Add another layer of tortillas, another third of the filling, and another 3/4 cup of cheese. Repeat once more so you have three complete layers of tortillas and filling.
- Top with cheese. Finish with any remaining tortillas, the last of the filling, and the final 3/4 cup of cheese spread evenly over the top.
- Bake covered. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the casserole is heated through and bubbling around the edges.
- Bake uncovered. Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until the cheese on top is melted, golden, and slightly crispy at the edges.
- Rest and serve. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced green onions.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 26g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 620mg