Mexican Chicken Enchiladas (Lasagna/Casserole Style)

My sister introduced me to a way that enchiladas can be made for a family, in an easier and faster way than individual enchiladas. Basically the enchiladas are made in a lasagna pan, much like a lasagna would be made, in layers that is. I buy most of the ingredients usually from Northgate Gonzalez Market, it's a supermarket chain that carries a lot of Latino products. But I have found that most super markets like: Albertsons, Vons, etc. carry the ingredients needed. This was one of the first things I learned how to cook for myself when I was doing my undergraduate work. As a novice in the kitchen, I think that this recipe was fairly easy to follow. The great thing, is that I always had left overs, that I could just heat up in the microwave later! This dish tastes great with a side of Mexican rice. Perhaps some other time I will add the family recipe for the Mexican rice!

INGREDIENTS:

• 30 count of corn tortillas (I like using the Guerrero brand)
• 1 red enchilada sauce can [28 ounces] (El Pato is the best one, La Victoria is the runner up, and Las Palmas is okay).
• 16-24 ounces of shredded Mexican Cheese Blend (usually this is a mixture of cheddar and Monterrey jack cheeses, but feel free to choose any shredded cheese you prefer). 
• Skineless and Boneless Chicken Breasts
• Garlic Salt Seasoning
• Optional: Sour Cream
• Optional: Chopped Black Olives
• Optional: Salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add water to a large pot, fill it about 3/4 of the way (You want to make sure you can add the chicken to it  later and that it will fit in the pot, without the pout over-filling). Add a little bit of salt to the water, so that it will boil faster. 
2. Once the water has started to boil (you see bubbles rising), add the chicken into the pot. Let the chicken completely cook (this will take about 15-20 minutes). Check to see if the chicken is fully cooked by cutting it open, and seeing that the chicken is no longer pink inside. Then turn off the flame, and take the chicken out of the pot. I recommend letting the chicken cool on a cutting board.
3. Once the chicken is cooled, use your hands or a knife and shred the chicken. Then sprinkle on the garlic salt seasoning onto the chicken. Put the chicken in a bowl.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Now get your casserole/lasagna pan and set it on the counter.
6. Use a can opener to open the can of enchilada sauce. Then pour the sauce into a bowl.
7. Pour a little but of the sauce into the casserole/lasagna pan so that it creates a thin layer of sauce at the bottom of the pan.
8. Now take a tortilla and dip it completely in the sauce, and then put flat in the lasagna pan. Keep doing this until you have one layer of tortillas covering the bottom of the pan. This usually takes about 6 tortillas. It is okay for the tortillas to overlap each other a little bit. 
9. Now place a layer of the shredded chicken on top of the tortillas.
10. Now place a player of the shredded Mexican cheese on top of the chicken.
11. Now you will take the tortillas and dip them in the sauce, and create a new layer.
12. Repeat steps #8-11 until you reach the top of the lasagna pan. It usually takes me about 3 layers of tortillas/chicken/cheese to reach the top.
13. At the top of the last tortilla layer, only put cheese.
14. Now put the lasagna pan in the oven, and let it bake for about 20-25 mins. The Mexican enchiladas will be ready when all the cheese has melted!
15. You can have each person cut a slice and then if you would like, they can add a scoop of sour cream on top, and olives on top of that!