This fantastic Mexican layered casserole is both hearty and healthy! It’s loaded with lean protein from the chicken, reduced-fat cottage cheese, and fat-free refried beans. It’s perfect for those sensitive to wheat since I’m using corn tortillas instead of lasagna noodles. Each serving has 209 calories, 6 grams of fat. Serve with a vegetable or simple salad and you’re good to go.
Ingredients
- 1½ cup reduced-fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast, chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed
- ¼ cup (½ can) Ortega diced green chilies
- ⅔ cup pasta or marinara sauce (from a jar) such as Classico or Prego
- 6 corn tortillas, cut each into four pieces
- 1 (8oz) can fat-free refried beans
- ⅔ cup salsa (I like Pace Medium Chunky Salsa)
- ¼ cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9” square pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, chicken, corn, and green chilies.
- Spread pasta sauce on bottom of pan.
- Arrange 2 tortillas (8 pieces) on top of pasta sauce
- Remove the beans from a can, place in a small bowl, and soften in the microwave for easy spreading. Spread the refried beans evenly on the tortillas.
- Arrange 2 more tortillas (8 pieces) over beans.
- Spread cheese mixture evenly over the tortillas.
- Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and place the last cut tortillas on top of casserole.
- Spread the salsa evenly over tortillas. Sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly on top.
- Cover casserole and bake 15 minutes longer. Cool slightly and cut into 6 slices.
Notes
Food Facts
Re-fried beans consist of cooked and mashed pinto or kidney beans that have been seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper. Some refried beans are fried in lard but fat-free refried beans are not.
Healthy Benefits
Fat-free refried beans are a fairly decent source of lean protein and carbohydrates. They’re high in fiber and folate. Reduced-fat cottage cheese is low in fat, calories, and cholesterol. It’s a very good source of vitamins B12 and calcium.
Storage Tips
This casserole will last for several days in the refrigerator and freezes great. Cut leftovers into single servings, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer bag. It will keep for several months in the freezer.
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 4-Blue
WW SmartPoints 6-Green
Re-fried beans consist of cooked and mashed pinto or kidney beans that have been seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper. Some refried beans are fried in lard but fat-free refried beans are not.
Healthy Benefits
Fat-free refried beans are a fairly decent source of lean protein and carbohydrates. They’re high in fiber and folate. Reduced-fat cottage cheese is low in fat, calories, and cholesterol. It’s a very good source of vitamins B12 and calcium.
Storage Tips
This casserole will last for several days in the refrigerator and freezes great. Cut leftovers into single servings, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer bag. It will keep for several months in the freezer.
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 4-Blue
WW SmartPoints 6-Green
| SKINNY FACTS: for 1 slice (⅙ of recipe) 209 calories, 6g fat, 2g sat. fat, 26mg sod, 18g protein, 27g carbs, 5g fiber, 770mg sodium, 5g sugar |
| FACTS: for Freestyle SmartPoints 133 calories, 1g sat. fat, 10g protein, 3g sugar |
Skinny Facts
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 209kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 18gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 770mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gBlue Smart Points: 4Green Smart Points: 6
Please be careful when using accent marks on foreign words. Check a dictionary first. Putting an accent in the wrong place can even change the meaning of a word. Today’s title should be spelled like this: Olé.
Thanks!
Candy, Spanish teacher
You are so right and I did make this changed. Thanks so much for your help Candy!
My best,
Nancy
I love your recipes-one reason is because you put the points plus on them for those of us still using that plan? I hope you still will!
I’m glad I can help. Thanks so much for joining me Vicki!
All the best,
Nancy
I just made this receipe and it came out so soggy because of the cottage cheese!!
Gee I’m sorry to hear that Dee. I’ve not only made this at home numerous times, I use to serve it in my restaurant. The only things that might have caused it to be soggy were the brand of cottage cheese you used or the salsa. I make it with Knudson’s reduced-fat cottage. It’s very firm. Plus I use Pace chunky salsa. It’s very thick, not runny.
I hope this helps!
My best,
Nancy
This looks really good and easy. I’m trying to get away from really fussy cooking. So, I don’t eat chicken, turkey or meat. I will eat some fish. Can you suggest a substitute? I’d appreciate it.
Thanks,
Joan
Actually Joan, you can easily leave out the chicken, and I think it would still be fine. It will be not quite as high but still yummy.
Enjoy!
My best,
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for replying so quickly! I may try adding veggie chorizo or tofu.
I’ll let you know how this turns out–once I get to making this. Currently my son
is going to the grocery store for me, and I don’t want to burden him too much!
Best,
Joan
Yes please do Joan!