Chicken Enchiladas
This dish is quick to put together, even though the ingredient list is long. You can buy a roasted chicken from the store to make this dish less fuss, or use leftover turkey. The enchilada sauce is made in 30 seconds in the blender so there is no chopping! Adjust the heat by adding Tabasco sauce to the enchilada sauce if you like it hot. Serve with refried beans, Spanish rice, and a frothy margarita!
Serves 6
Enchilada Sauce
35 oz. can plum tomatoes, drained
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded
3 tablespoons oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red or green pepper (or combination), thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
3-4 tablespoons chili powder (or to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup flour
3 cups chicken stock (or 1 ½ cans)
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
1 roasted or boiled chicken, or 4 chicken breasts, pulled apart with no skin
12 10-inch flour tortillas
2 tablespoons butter or oil
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
sour cream to garnish with a squeeze of fresh lime and fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
Enchilada Sauce:
In a blender, place tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeno, and blend until thoroughly pureed. In a medium saucepan, add oil and heat over medium high heat. Add puree and salt and pepper, and cook until it comes to a boil. Taste for seasoning. Cook another 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Chicken Filling:
In a large skillet, add oil and place over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes. Add red pepper and jalapeno and sauté for 5 minutes until the onion is golden brown. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Add flour and cook 1 minute stirring well to incorporate the flour. Add chicken stock and cook until it comes to a boil and becomes thicker. Add Balsamic vinegar and cook 3 minutes. Add cilantro and cooked chicken, and heat through. Set aside. (This dish can be prepared the day before if covered well and refrigerated).
In a large non-stick skillet, add a little butter or oil over medium high heat. Place a tortilla in pan and cook until lightly browned. Turn over and cook until lightly browned. Remove to a plate and continue with remaining tortillas, adding more oil if necessary.
To Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan with butter or spray oil. Cover the bottom lightly with some enchilada sauce.
Divide chicken into 12 equal portions. On a cutting board, place 1 tortilla and put portion of chicken down center and sprinkle some cheese. Roll tortilla up and place seam side down in baking pan. Continue with remaining tortillas.
Pour enchilada sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle the top with remaining cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes until the cheese is light brown and bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
For a quick and tasty sauce: In a small bowl, add 1 cup of sour cream, the juice of 1 small lime, and 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro. Stir and mix well. Drizzle over each serving.