Rachael Ray's Mexican Lasagna

Happy Cinco De Mayo!  I made something Mexican, but also easy for dinner tonight.  It's the middle of a busy week and I didn't want to spend all afternoon in the Kitchen.  Rachael Ray's recipe for Mexican Lasagna looked fast, easy and delicious.  Just what I needed for tonight.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes

1 cup frozen corn kernels

Salt

8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market

2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack

2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

I followed the ingredients list, except that I couldn't find spinach flour tortillas.  I used regular flour tortillas.  I decided to use half sharp cheddar and half pepper jack for the cheese.

 I followed the directions.  After I cooked the meat and bean mixture I began layering this dish: meat and beans, tortillas, cheese, meat and beans, tortillas, and cheese.

The Results...
It only baked for 13 minutes and it was ready.  My 5 year-old was a huge fan of this dish.  She even asked for seconds.  I asked her why she liked it and she said, "It was just a little spicy and the tortilla and cheese layer is my favorite part."  The rest of us weren't huge fans like she was, but we still enjoyed it.  We usually don't cook with ground chicken.  We didn't think the chicken was as flavorful as ground beef, but I will keep this on our list of family favorites just for my little girl.  Next time, I might try this recipe with ground beef and see if we all become huge fans.