Hello food lovers, welcome eaters!
Sharing a make-ahead recipe that is like a ‘party in a casserole dish’ where Italy and Mexico collide. Taco fiesta chicken lasagna will have your taste buds hoppin’…not with heat but with happiness. This has become my go-to recipe to make for PC to eat when I am out of town. It makes a carload of cheesy, chicken goodness and left-overs get tastier each time they are warmed up. Ole!
Let’s Get Cooking: Taco Fiesta Chicken Lasagna
Can’t take the credit for this recipe. Found it in that giant recipe box in the clouds AKA Pinterest. Actually the pin originated at Betty Crocker. Now, that girl can cook.
Here are the ingredients you will need to gather for Taco Fiesta Chicken Lasagna.
I like that photo, if I do say so myself!
The Recipe
Ha! Now that I am rereading the recipe from Betty Crocker, I realize that once again I kind of made up my own version and subbed in ingredients for those used by Bets. Here’s what I’ll do. Going to print the real (original) recipe that I probably made one time before mixing it all up my way. Adding my adaptations and general commentary in parentheses.
- 2 14 1/2 oz cans diced tomatoes with zesty mild green chiles, undrained (I call that Rotel)
- 1/4 cup taco sauce (I use a package of organic taco seasoning)
- 3 cups cubed cooked (I shred) chicken (have also used 10 ounces of ground turkey, browned)
- 1 (16-oz.) refried beans (fat-free)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (plain Greek yogurt or fat-free sour cream)
- 12 uncooked lasagna noodles (I use rice lasagna or oven-ready lasagna)
- 12 oz. (3 cups) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (pepper Jack is good, too)
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions (who measures?)
- 1/4 cup sliced ripe olives, if desired (only sometimes)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
According to the scribblings around my printed copy of the recipe, some of my other adaptations include using ricotta cheese with the sour cream.
Because I don’t measure (and apparently don’t read either), I didn’t put how much ricotta cheese. But let’s go with 1/2 cup, wanna? So, to be clear as mud, you could add 1/2 cup of sour cream (Greek yogurt or fat-free sour cream) and 1/2 cup skim ricotta. And see how I have written 24 hrs ahead? That’s cause I keep making this for dinner and then realize it won’t be ready til breakfast the next day!
Maybe it isn’t a good idea for me to try to share recipes. Just sayin’.
Directions
- Spray 15×12-inch sheet of foil and 13×9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (oops, I didn’t spray my foil)
- In large bowl, combine Rotel tomatoes with taco sauce; mix well.
- Stir in shredded (ok, cubed) chicken (added a little salsa, too…1/2 cup?)
- In medium bowl, combine refried beans and sour cream; mix well (here’s where you can throw in the ricotta)
- Spread about 1 cup chicken mixture in bottom of sprayed baking dish.
- Top with 4 uncooked noodles, breaking to fit if necessary.
- Spread with half of bean mixture
- Follow with 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese, half of the onions and half of the olives.
- Repeat with layer of 4 more noodles, remaining bean mixture, 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture and 1 cup cheese.
- Top with remaining 4 noodles, chicken mixture, onions, olives and cheese.
- Spread the chicken so top noodles are completely covered
- Cover with foil, sprayed side down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
Heat oven to 350°F. Bake covered lasagna for 50 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 18 to 22 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Sprinkle with cilantro. If desired, garnish each serving with dollop of sour cream (Greek yogurt, fat-free sour cream), chopped tomato and shredded lettuce.
When I made this last night, I divided the recipe in half and used an 8×8 baking dish. I would usually slice up some avocado to serve with the lettuce and chopped tomato except I forgot. And we don’t like tomatoes. At least not slimy fresh tomatoes with those slippery seeds.
Ta-da. Lettuce-tomato-avocado-less but served with French bread…and like that, it becomes a tri-cultural meal. Bam!
By my calculations (scary) this is 11 Weight Watcher points per serving. I used the standard recipe for my calculations subbing in fat-free sour cream and using oven-ready lasagna. When I created this dish using rice pasta and a whole lot less cheese (usually WW Mexican Blend which may not even be cheese!), it was 7 points. I like that number better.
Freezer Friendly?
I don’t know. Have never tried to freeze it. But don’t you think we could probably freeze the uncooked dish? Maybe bake it without thawing it out first? If you try that, let me know. If I try that, I’ll let you know.
Your Turn
Before my sister Valerie goes out of town, she prepares full meals for her husband Roby. She’s really good that way. I am the bad sister. Well, the bad wife. I make sure PC has peanut butter and bread and cookies. And Pepsi.
Do you have someone you feel the need to cook for before you go out of town? Do you have a favorite meal that you prepare for them to eat while you are gone? Surely there’s someone out there who goes with PB&J like I do.
I am linking up today with my buds at The Blended Blog. Might want to stop by there for more “Tasty Tuesday” recipes. And now, I must bid you adios, ciao, adieu. My messy house awaits me!
Hugs and kisses,
curlycraftymom
Your sister is quite sweet to cook for her husband before she goes out of town! You always share the best recipes, I am def. going to try this!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Valerie is so good about cooking for Roby. But shhh, don’t let that get around to PC. Actually,
I usually have something for him to eat but he generally prefers to eat out. Huh. Just occurred
to me…what is he trying to tell me?!
Whitney a la mode
Oh my gosh, Leslie, this sounds delicious! I’m getting back into cooking lately. This will have to go into my rotation!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
So behind on replying to my comments. Hope you will try the taco lasagna. It is yum and yummier as leftovers.
Tamara Reddy
Oh my goodness, what terrific timing – We bring dinner and wine to my adult daughter’s once a month, for a long visit and chit chat, and just this morning she mentioned she had a hankering for Mexican food. In that this can be prepped ahead, it’s perfect . . . the girl barely has a pot to boil water in!
Tamara Reddy
Returning to say I served this for dinner last night at my daughter’s and everyone,, myself included, loved it!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
YAY YAY YAY! Thank you so much for coming back to give this recipe a thumbs up! XO
Leslie Roberts Clingan
How sweet that you take dinner and wine to your daughter’s home once a month. I wish my babies
lived close enough to do that. If you try the taco lasagna, let me know! Giggled that poor girl
hardly has a pot to boil water in. I remember those days.
Lana
Yum! This looks so good and my boys would love it!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Makes great leftovers to send back to school with your fellas.
Sheila @ Making the Most of Every Day
This will sound crazy coming from a bonafide Italian but I don’t like lasagna. I don’t like melted cheese! Therefore I don’t like lasagna or cheeseburgers, or potatoes au gratin, or ANYTHING that calls for “cheesy goodness.” But I know some people who would love this!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Ha! Is it the texture of melted cheese you don’t like? That is very interesting. Guess grilled cheese
sammies are out, too? Those are staples at my house for no-cooking nights.
Rachel Going
Leslie, This looks absolutely delicious. I will need to fix it sometime. I rarely leave town and the times that I have it has been such a quick departure that I didn’t have time to cook. My husband is awesome with finding great places to eat out when he needs too. 🙂
xo rachel
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Hey Rachel, thank you so much for coming by and for leaving a comment. I so enjoy YOUR blog!!! Hope you will try the
taco lasagna sometime. It is great as leftovers for lunch days after. XO
danimpark
Oooo this sounds delicious and a nice new take on lasagna. Will have to give it a try.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
It is so good and even better the next day!! Thank you!!