I’d gotten so many requests from fans to make over enchiladas that I started playing around with the ingredients to see what I could do. After perfecting them, I needed to figure out a way to cut the prep time — and so, this recipe was born.

This is as easy as making a throw-together lasagna. Plus, it’s nice and lean with a great protein-to-carbohydrate ratio, and it tastes just as decadent as restaurant enchiladas.

Chicken Enchilasagna

All the flavor of restaurant enchiladas, layered lasagna-style to cut the prep time way down.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Servings: 4 or 8 portions

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

2 teaspoons salt-free Mexican or Southwest seasoning
2 teaspoons lower-sodium burrito seasoning or taco seasoning
1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, visible fat removed
Olive oil spray
1-1/4 cups canned traditional mild enchilada sauce
1 cup canned medium green chile enchilada sauce
4 ounces (about 2 cups) finely shredded light Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup sliced drained black olives
3 tablespoons canned, drained, chopped green chiles
8 6-inch white or yellow corn tortillas

Method

Preheat a grill to high. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Mix the Mexican seasoning and burrito seasoning in a small bowl. Rub evenly over the chicken breasts. Lightly mist both sides with spray. Let stand 10 minutes, then grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink inside. Let stand 5 minutes, then coarsely chop.
Meanwhile, combine the enchilada sauces in a medium bowl. In a second bowl, mix the cheese, cilantro, olives, and chiles.
Cut or tear each tortilla into about 9 roughly even pieces.
Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of an 8×8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Cover with about a third of the tortilla pieces. Sprinkle about half the chicken over them. Pour about 2/3 cup sauce evenly over that, then sprinkle a third of the cheese mixture over that.
Repeat layering with half the remaining tortillas, the remaining chicken, 2/3 cup sauce, then half the remaining cheese mixture. Top with a final layer of tortillas, the remaining sauce, then the remaining cheese mixture.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 5 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into 4 or 8 pieces and serve immediately.

Notes

Makes 1 casserole; 4 servings or 8 portions.

1/4 casserole: 401 calories, 46g protein, 32g carbohydrates, 9g fat, 2g saturated fat, 92mg cholesterol, 4g fiber, 1,063mg sodium.

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