Vegetarian Tortilla Casserole with Zucchini, Corn, and Black Beans

To prepare this meal you will begin by roasting both the vegetables and chicken in the convection mode on separate trays for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the vegetables, lower the oven temperature, and set the timer for 15 minutes.  Layer the vegetables into the casserole with the tortillas, beans, salsa, and cheese, and pop it back in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Take the chicken out after 15 minutes and set it aside to cool while the casserole continues to heat through.

This recipe uses mild salsa but it is easy to tweak it to your preferred taste and spice it up a bit. The important thing is to develop a comfort level when making oven meals using Convection.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium zucchini, cubed

1 red pepper, cubed

2 cups corn kernels

½ red onion cut into ½” dice

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp ground cumin

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp chili powder (optional)

2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

1 jar salsa

1 can black beans, drained

3 cups Mexican blend grated cheese

8 corn tortillas

PREPARATION

Heat the oven in the Convection Roast or Convection Bake mode at 425 degrees.

Combine the zucchini, pepper, corn kernels, onion, garlic, and seasonings in a bowl and add the oil. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated with the oil and spread onto a large rimmed baking pan.

Place the pan on rack position 1 or 2 close to the bottom heating element and cook for 15 minutes until the vegetables begin to caramelize around the edges. If baking some chicken at the same time place the seasoned chicken on a rimmed baking sheet on rack position 4 or 5 closer to the top heating element.

Remove the vegetables from the oven after 15 minutes, and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. If baking some chicken at the same time, set the timer for 15 minutes to finish cooking the chicken. Add the beans and salsa to the baking pan with the vegetables and fold to distribute evenly. Now you are ready to assemble the casserole.

Lightly oil the bottom of a  casserole dish with several corn tortillas, cutting them as needed to cover the surface. Add half of the vegetable mixture to the pan and top with half of the cheese. Cover this layer with more tortillas, add the remaining vegetables, and top with the remaining cheese. Cover the dish loosely with foil, crimp the edges to seal, and place in the oven.  Heat the casserole for another 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbling.

Once the chicken has cooked for 30 minutes remove the tray from the oven and let the chicken cool slightly, that way you can slice it off the bone or keep it covered with some foil to keep warm to serve with the hot casserole.