OMG!  I seriously cannot believe that I haven’t blogged this yet.   I mean, I kind of can.  Mostly because whenever I make it we NEVER want to wait for me to snap photos of it before we eat.  Lucky for you all, the hubby and the baby were outside when this came out of the oven so I hurried as fast as I could to snap some photos before we gobbled it up.

I’ve been making it for years.  It’s a family favorite.  It’s got all those classic Mexican flavors, but it’s oh-so-fun with the way it is layered and the layers definitely add some great texture.  I adapted the recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. That should already sell you on the deliciousness, but let me just give you a few highlights.  Pretoasting the tortillas makes this dish a winner.  When they’ve been crisped up, they not only taste great, but they provide the necessary structure for the stack.  The toasted tortillas also help us to avoid that raw flavor and gummy texture that soggy tortillas can leave behind  So, the toasted tortillas are definitely a huge highlight.  Another huge highlight is the great amount of  filling you find between layers.  You will NOT feel short-changed here, folks. And, if I can, I must also highlight the mashed black beans.  I simply love them!

So, what I’m saying here is that you should really make this because I’m pretty sure you’re going to find that it will become one of your family favorites too.  It’s a winner, hands down!

Fit Mexican Stack
Mimi’s Fit Foods
Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
8 ounces plum tomatoes (2 to 3), cored and chopped medium
4 green onions, sliced thin
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
salt and pepper
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces cooked and shredded chicken breast
4 (10-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas
vegetable oil spray
3/4 cup shredded 50% light cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces)

Directions:
Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the corn and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer the corn to a large bowl, stir in the tomatoes, green onions, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels, add the remaining teaspoon of oil, and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, jalapeño, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the black beans and the chicken broth and cook until the liquid has nearly evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and mash the beans with a potato masher until no beans are left whole. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray both sides of half the tortillas with vegetable oil spray and lay on a baking sheet.

Bake the tortillas until lightly browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them half-way through the baking. Remove the tortillas from the oven and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Line a rimless or inverted baking sheet with parchment paper. Place one of the toasted tortillas on the prepared baking sheet. Spread one-quarter of the mashed beans over the top, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the edge. Sprinkle with one-quarter of the corn mixture, one-quarter of the chicken, and 3 tablespoons cheddar. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, beans, corn, chicken, and cheddar and stack the topped tortillas to make a layered stack.

Bake the Mexican Stack until the cheese is melted and slightly brown, 20-25 minutes. Let the stack cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then slide it onto a cutting board using the parchment. Remove the parchment and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon cilantro. Cut into 8 wedges and serve hot.

Serves 8.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Slice):
210.7 Calories | 21.1g Protein | 25.6g Carbs | 6g (1.6g = Sat.) Fat | 10.2g Fiber | 2.3g Sugars