i would like to introduce you to one of the very first recipes i cooked up in my ambitious kitchen.
drum roll, please. . .
it’s my girl {cause we’re like friends n stuff} rachael ray’s mexican lasagna!
i came across rachaels {we’re like first-name-basis-friends} recipe when searching the food network site for a 30-minute meal that actually lived up to it’s claim. and after perusing what felt like 200 comments, i was thoroughly convinced that this recipe would hit the table in a half hour.
well, i wish i could kiss rach {nicknames are for best friends} + all those commentators right on the forehead because this mexican lasagna was sitting stove-top, ready to be served in UNDER 30 minutes – all at the hand of a very amateur cook.
since that glorious first day, the mexican lasagna + i have met biweekly for nearly 5 years now!
while the cook time was originally the first thing to draw me in, i must say the leftovers are the true MVP.
after dinner, i will simply divvy them into tupperware + lunch is handled for a few days! they hold wonderfully + heat up like dream.
so i think it’s about time to share the few flavor changes i have made + most importantly, give a big shout out to my bestie {rachael. duh} for creating a weeknight grand slam!
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb ground chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
- 1 {4 oz} can diced green chiles
- 1 {15 oz} can black beans, drained + rinsed
- 1 cup taco sauce
- 8 {8 inch} flour tortillas, cut into ¼ wedges
- 2 ½ cups shredded mexican blend cheese
- 4 scallions, finely sliced
- preheat the oven to 425º
- spray a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
- in a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, kosher salt + smoked paprika, set aside.
- heat a large skillet over medium-high heat + add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- once the oil is hot, add the garlic + cook until golden {about 60 seconds}
- next, add ground chicken, jalapeno + red onion. season the mix with the spice mix.
- brown the meat {about 5 minutes}
- add taco sauce, black beans, cilantro + diced green chiles to the meat mixture, stirring to combine.
- heat the mixture through {2-3 minutes}
- grab your greased baking dish + start to build the lasagna in layers tortilla on the bottom, then the chicken mix, top with cheese.
- repeat the layers {tortilla, meat, cheese} until all ingredients are used up. {if using a 9x9 pan you should end up with 3 meat layers}
- bake lasagna 14 minutes, until cheese is brown + bubbly. {you may broil at the this time to brown the cheese!}
- serve each slice topped with scallions + enjoy!
sometimes lasagnas don’t seem to hold together very well for cutting + serving, here is my tip!
when placing down each meat layer, use the back of your spoon/spatula to firmly press down the mix to create a nice even layer.
meat swap: in my ambitious kitchen, ground chicken will always trump ground turkey. but feel free to make a swap-a-doodle-do to meet your taste preferences. you could also choose to use ground beef {make sure you drain the fat before mixing with the other ingredients!} or a ground vegan option, like seitan!
as for the veggies: empty that produce drawer! use up whatever you have on hand that you can talk into believing it fits the tex mex bill. rachael’s recipe uses corn kernals, which tickles somes fancy!
for the taco sauce: i have used nearly every kind of salsa as well as canned roasted tomatoes {14oz}
for the tortillas: i usually opt for flour tortillas with this recipe, but corn tortillas work great as does a fun flavored tortilla, like the spinach tortillas originally suggested by rachael ray.
cooking for one? don’t shy away from casseroles! i personally think big bakes, like this one, are the best for you – you get dinner + literally a week of lunches/pre-made dinners.
a great spin on this dish is to cook up the ground chicken mix + serve it taco-style in tortillas!
the huff post tells me that a medium-bodied red, like pinot noir is the best choice for a tex mex dish like this! look for the strawberry-scented Redtree {$10! holla!}. ice-cold beer + margs are also a solid choice.
before you jump my lingo gun, i know this is not technically a lasagna – no wavy noodles here! but. lasagna’s are layered! plus, tex mex ground chicken layered tortilla bake just doesn’t sound as awesome.
join along as kelly posts, pins + peruses for inspiration in her ambitious kitchen!
Looks so good my mouth is watering. This is def on my list of recipes to try. I’m wondering if shredded chicken breast would work. Hmmm? Would Rach(your bff, not mine) approve? Shhh. Let’s not ask her until we share a bottle of wine and try it out.
lynn – i definitely think shredded chicken would work – you’d just toss it in when the taco sauce goes in! i’m ready for that wine date whenever you are! -k