Good morning! I am so excited to share with you that I’ve hit my next goal! I have now lost 50 – YES FIFTY – pounds. I’m feeling great with all the healthier foods I’m eating and my daily workouts. I think one of the reasons I’ve managed to get to this stage in my journey is that I’ve learned how to cook meals that satisfy but are healthier and today I am sharing one of those recipes with you — an easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole. This recipe uses a lot of low-calorie vegetables to create a more substantial dish that will satisfy without adding calories.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
2 cups shredded cooked chicken**
1 1/2 cups cubed zucchini
1 onion chopped
1 poblano pepper chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil (or vegetable if you don’t like olive oil)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 large jar salsa (either salsa verde or regular salsa; heat level is up to you)
8-12 soft corn tortillas (They have fewer calories than flour ones and are gluten-free if that’s an issue for you)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cotija cheese for garnish (If you can’t find this, some grated feta will work)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
1/2 cup chopped scallions for garnish
Lime wedges for garnish
**You can use one of those rotisserie chickens. We have soup pretty often so when I make it I poach extra chicken to make other dishes during the week.
Directions
I used a 9×9 casserole which let me use 4 tortillas for the base and top of the casserole. If you use a larger pan you will need to use more tortillas and you may have a thinner casserole.
Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly grease the bottom of the casserole and spread a small amount of the salsa on the bottom. Lay your corn tortillas to form a base. For extra flavor try a little char on your tortillas by running them over your gas grill or toasting them in the oven.
Saute the mushrooms at high heat in the olive oil. Mushrooms have a lot of water so you want to get that out of them so you won’t be steaming the rest of the vegetables. Then add your peppers and cook them for about 3 to 5 minutes before adding the onions. Continue cooking until the onions are golden and then add the zucchini and the garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until zucchini is softened (but not total mush).
Take the vegetable mix off the heat and add the chicken and about 1 cup of the salsa. You can use either salsa verde or regular tomato salsa. I like the verde but it’s just as tasty with the tomato salsa. Heat level is up to you. I happen to like a little hotter and don’t worry about the poblano. It’s not a very hot pepper.
Spoon the chicken/vegetable mix over the corn tortillas. Use half of the mozzarella and half of the cheddar to cover the chicken/vegetable mix.
Cover this chicken/vegetable/cheese layer with corn tortillas. Spoon another cup over the tortillas, making sure to cover every little bit of them with the salsa. Then top this with the remaining cheeses.
Bake at 350 for about 45-50 minutes or until cheese is beginning to get nice and toasty.
Serve with the various garnishes and more salsa if you’d like. The lime in particular will give it a nice fresh zip. A side salad of shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers is a nice accompaniment.
You’ll notice I haven’t included sour cream or Mexican Crema as one of the garnishes. I love sour cream but the calories… It’s a trade off and the dish is so flavorful that you really don’t need it, but feel free if you wish to add that as a garnish.
This recipe will serve 4 without a problem!
I hope you liked today’s Tuesday Tip!
