Recipe of the Week

This recipe may seem time consuming, but it really is quite easy, and totally worth the effort. It makes a large amount (great for a crowd). It is not heavy, but oh so filling. And when I take a bite it literally melts in my mouth. I absolutely love it. It is another (new) "go to" recipe. I have been cooking primarily from my new favorite website, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, and this recipe comes from her site. Each of her recipes is a step by step pictoral recipe. I linked the original recipe below. Go check it out.

Mexican Lasagna
adapted from the Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts with bone and skin

1 cup of dry rice

chicken stock - to cook the rice

1 can diced tomatoes (slightly drained)

1 onion - finely chopped

2 gloves garlic - minced

10 inch flour tortillas

1 can of black beans (slightly drained)

Chili Powder

Paprika

Cumin

16 oz. Salsa Verde

1 small can of enchilada sauce

1 can of corn - drained

2 - 8 oz bags of cheese (you may want more)

sour cream

cilantro

1. Start by rinsing and drying the chicken breast. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken breast, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook at 350 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes. Cooking time depends on the size of your chicken breasts. Allow the chicken to cool. When cool, shred the chicken and set aside.

2. Prepare one cup of dry rice with chicken stock as opposed to water. The TEXMATI rice that I used yielded about 3 cups of cooked rice for 1 cup of dry rice. Set aside.

3. Saute chopped onion in about 1-2 tablespoons of butter, just to soften. Add minced garlic and diced tomatoes. Add one tablespoon of chili powder, 1/2 tablespoon of cumin, and 1/2 tablespoon of paprika. Once this tomato, onion and garlic concotion is thoroughly mixed, add it to the rice, and gently combine. At this time you can also add the black beans.

4. Now, using the same pan that you sauteed the onions, add the shredded chicken and season with 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1/2 tablespoon of cumin and 1/2 tablespoon of paprika. You most likely will need to add water to combine the seasoning with the chicken. I used leftover chicken stock instead of water.

5. Finally, we put this bad mam-ba-jamba together. Using a 9x13 pan, pour half of the Salsa Verde in the bottom of the dish. Next place a layer of tortillas. I only needed two, and of course they overlap. Now, spoon half of the rice over the tortilla layer. Sprinkle one bag of cheese over the rice. Then another layer of tortillas. Now comes the enchilada sauce, use as little or as much as you want. I never use the whole can. But I am a hesitant, cautious creature. Next layer: shredded chicken. After roasting my chicken, I will never boil chicken again. The corn falls on top of the chicken. Followed by the remaining rice mixture. Finish off with the remaining Salsa Verde and the other 8 oz bag of cheese.

6. Cook lasagna in a 375 degree oven for 25-35 minutes. Cilantro and sour cream finish it off. You don't need anything else with this meal. Save for a frozen margarita!