Thursday, March 24, 2011

Chicken Enchirito lasagna

I usually plan out my menu at the beginning of the week, typically sunday, but sometimes monday. Unfortunately for me I didn't plan my weekly menu. One thing I regret on days like today. I get a brain (excuse my language) fart. I usually have a very difficult time thinking what to make for dinner, when I've been so busy all day with my school stuff, the kids school stuff, housework, and running errands and the list goes on and on... I'm hopeful some of you can relate :) Well, Today I stood in my kitchen and had this blank stare on my face when the kids asked me what was for dinner. I couldn't think of anything, then I open the fridge and start saying things that are easy like spaghetti, meatloaf, spaghetti with meatballs, and one of my son says GRILLED CHEESE... I think to myself... that would use all the bread I've allotted for the boys lunches till payday. So NO... He then says "but we haven't had that in a LLLOOONNNGG time..." (picture puppy dog eyes and a big fat lower lip) of course I still said NO but I knew that he still wouldn't be too happy, so I turned and walked to the pantry. Trying to avoid the conversation as to why not. So I start thinking of what I have in the fridge and what I have in the pantry, and then what I have in Food Storage. What can I make...? I think and think and think. Then I decide on Enchirito's Well, I didn't want to use country sausage or turkey sausage, and then I remembered I had bbq pork, (which might be good) or chicken from the baked chicken from Thursday last week. or was it friday... anyways, it's still good. So I decide on chicken. So we are going to have chicken enchirito's... Then I remember my sister makes this layered enchilada stuff instead of rolling the tortillas. So I had an "AH HA!" moment... I will make a layered enchiritio with refried beans, a chicken mixture with cheese and enchilada sauce. Now doesn't that sound yummy.... All the while I'm trying to see what I can add to the dish to increase the vegetable intake without having to make a side dish. (too many dishes already dirty) I need a one dish meal. So I scrounge up some onions, a can of rotel tomatoes with green chili's, and mushrooms. I thought about some fresh spinach or celery, but then thought, it's a mexican type dish, these don't really go. So I ditched those two items. YEAH me... I think these would be good.  Well, I at least hope they will be good, if not it's still dinner.

So bare with me as I threw stuff in a bowl, and I didn't measure. these are estimates, you can use less if it looks like too much of one thing, and more of something if it looks too little.  Sorry, That is how I cook sometimes, by sight, taste and smell.

Ingredients:
aprox. 3-4 cups cubed already cooked chicken
1 can rotel tomatoes with green chili's
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can refried beans with chili's and lime
1/4 of a red onion, diced (or minced) personal preference
4 button mushrooms no stems chopped
4 bella portabello mushrooms, no stems chopped
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 -3 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground pepper
14 flour tortilla's 6 inch (small) tortillas

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix together the cubed chicken, tomatoes, red onion, chopped mushrooms, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper, and 1 cup of the enchilada sauce. mix well, incorporating all ingredients.

Next, in a 13 X9X2 inch pan, spray with non stick cooking spray, and pour 1/2 of the remaining enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan.

Then, spread some of the refried beans on tortilla's and layer on the bottom of the pan, enough to cover the bottom. * NOTE: you may need to rip some of the tortilla's in half to cover the bottom, I had two full tortillas on the bottom and 4 halves. Place the refried bean side down in the enchilada sauce.

Then spoon half of the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas, and sprinkle with cheese.

Repeat one more layer, Refried bean on tortilla, refried bean side down on the cheese, then spread the chicken mixture on top of the tortilla, then cover with cheese.

Now, layering 6 flour tortillas on top of the cheese (no refried beans should be left in the can). Then top with the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

Cover with foil, sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Bake in a 350F oven until heated through aprox 45 minutes, then remove the foil, and bake another 5-10 minutes to brown the cheese.

Let set about 5-10 minutes before serving.

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