My mother makes wonderful Mexican Lasagna. I remember when I went to college, I asked her for the recipe. She told me one that was very, “Oh, you just toss in some of this and a container of that. It’s easy!” So, I’ve never made it. It seemed challenging and ambiguous.

But, I remember that it was always wonderful and comforting. Cheesy and soft. Perfect for scooping up into a tortilla chip.

Last night, I made my first Mexican lasagna. I used a recipe from Robin Miller that I found on FoodNetwork. It was perfect. I couldn’t believe how easy it was. My mom was right. It really is just a can of this, container of that, kind of recipe. Unlike most lasagnas with their complicated layers, this has one filling that you layer with some corn tortillas, top with extra cheese and you’re done. Awesome.

When I was eating the lasagna last night, I had an amusing moment. I sat down to eat and before I knew it, I was a quarter of the way through my piece. I realized, I haven’t even paused to think about what this tastes like. Other than the fact that I had been to the gym and was starving, I further realized that I hadn’t stopped to consider the lasagna, because it was just exactly what I expected it to taste like. It tasted like my mom’s. It was comforting, simple, and yum-yum-yummy. It is a surprising and lovely thing to realize that what you are eating is just exactly what you wanted it to be.

I highly recommend this recipe. It will be a crowd pleaser. I added a little more cayanne and chili powder than this called for. Also, the reviews of the recipe on the original posting included a number of people adding things like black beans to the recipe. I’m sure that would be really tasty. But, for me, I’m keeping it simple.

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 12 ounces cooked chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (regular or low-fat), divided
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar (regular or low-fat), divided
• 1/2 cup mild, medium or hot salsa
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon  ground chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 6 wedges

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat an 11 by 7-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, sour cream, 3/4 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, 3/4 cup of the Cheddar, salsa, chiles, cilantro, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Arrange half of the tortilla pieces in the bottom of prepared pan, overlapping pieces slightly to cover the surface. Top with half of the chicken mixture and smooth over with the back of a spoon to even the top. Layer remaining tortillas over top, and spoon over remaining chicken mixture. Top with remaining 1/4 cup each of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 more minutes, until top is golden and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

To reheat, bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 15 minutes.