Description

This Taco Lasagna recipe is a flavorful fusion of classic Mexican taco ingredients layered like a lasagna. Ground chicken or beef is cooked with peppers and a zesty taco filling, then layered with refried beans, salsa, tortillas, and melted Mexican cheese for a hearty, family-friendly meal. Baked until bubbly and topped with fresh garnishes, it offers a delicious twist on both tacos and lasagna in under an hour.

Ingredients

Meat and Vegetables

1 cup green pepper, diced
½ cup red pepper, diced
2 cups frozen corn
1 pound ground chicken (or ground beef)
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Beans and Tomatoes

15 ounces black beans, drained (do not rinse)
14.5 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, drained
½ cup water
16-ounce can refried beans

Seasonings and Sauces

2 (1-ounce) packets of taco seasoning
1 cup salsa

Others

6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese, divided

Optional Garnishes

Cilantro (optional, for garnish)
Jalapeno slices (optional, for serving)
Tomato halves (optional, for serving)
Sour cream (optional, for serving)

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Instructions

Preheat Oven and Brown Meat: Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the ground chicken along with diced green and red peppers. Cook until the meat is browned and the peppers are softened.
Make Taco Filling: To the skillet with browned meat and peppers, add frozen corn, drained black beans, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, half a cup of water, and the taco seasoning packets. Stir well and cook together for about 3 minutes to combine flavors.
Layer Lasagna: Spread the salsa evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer two of the tortillas on top of the salsa. Next, spread one-third of the meat mixture over the tortillas, followed by half of the refried beans, then one-third of the shredded cheese. Repeat this layering once more with two tortillas, one-third of the meat mixture, remaining refried beans, and another one-third of the cheese. Finally, top with the remaining two tortillas, the last of the meat mixture, and the remaining cheese.
Bake: Place the assembled dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve: Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired and serve with sour cream, jalapeno slices, tomato halves, or your favorite taco toppings.

Notes

You can substitute ground beef instead of ground chicken for a richer flavor.
Do not rinse the black beans; rinsing will remove flavor and some nutrients.
For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free tortillas instead of flour tortillas.
Adjust the amount of jalapenos and taco seasoning based on your spice preference.
Leftover taco lasagna can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated.