Layered Mexican Casserole with Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz.) mild green chile enchilada sauce
• 2 cans (15. oz) pinto beans
• 1 large onion, diced in 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced in 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles plus juice
• 1-3 t green tabasco sauce
• 3/4 cup light sour cream
• 4 cups diced, cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
• 2 cups grated low-fat mozzarella

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C.
2. Put the green chile enchilada sauce in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to one cup. While sauce simmers, put the two cans of pinto beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse well with cold water until no more foam appears. Let beans drain well (or blot dry with paper towels if you’re in a hurry.)
3. Dice the onion and green bell pepper and slice the green onions.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy frying pan, add onion and green bell pepper and sauté until they’re softened and starting to barely brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground cumin and drained beans and cook about 3-4 minutes more, or until the beans are hot. (You can mash the beans slightly at this point if you’d like a layer of beans that sticks together a bit more.)
5. Measure out 4 cups of diced cooked chicken. (You can cook four chicken breasts or use leftover rotisserie chicken.) As soon as the green chile enchilada sauce has reduced to 1 cup (about 10-15 minutes), place it in a bowl to cool and stir in the diced green chiles with juice.
6. Taste the mixture to see if you want to add the optional Green Tabasco Sauce.
7. When the mixture no longer feels hot (it can be warm), stir in the sour cream, diced chicken, and sliced green onions.
8. Spray a 9″x9″x3″ casserole dish with olive oil or non-stick spray. (If your dish has lower sides than that, be sure it is slightly bigger.)
9. Spread half the pinto bean mixture over the bottom of the dish, followed by a layer of half the sauce/chicken mixture. Sprinkle 1 cup of grated Mozzarella over the sauce/chicken mixture.
10. Repeat with another layer of pinto beans, sauce/chicken mixture, and cheese.
11. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling and nicely browned on top. Let stand about 10-15 minutes before cutting, then serve.