Chicken Enchiladas

The other night at Pei Wei, the kids and I are eating “Chinese chicken,” (aka, honey seared chicken).  Travis asks if he can use the packet of soy sauce on his food. Elizabeth asks "how do you spell that – s-o-i?" "No, s-o-y", I reply.

She then says "Soy sauce - I am sauce".  (I will give you a minute and let that sink in…  If you do not speak Spanish, “soy” translates into “I am”).  Señoras Stromberg and Garcia would be so proud.   

With such great Mexican food restaurants in Dallas, it baffles me that I would even attempt to make enchiladas at home.  This chicken enchilada recipe is semi-healthy – there is no cream used.  The recipe has been adapted from Tyler Florence’s version because all good Texans know that you don’t put corn in your enchiladas!

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

1.      Olive oil

2.      1 ½ pounds boneless, skin on or 2-2 ½ lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

3.      Salt and pepper

4.      2 t cumin powder

5.      2 t garlic powder

6.      1 white or yellow onion, chopped

7.      2 cloves garlic, minced

8.      1 – 4.5oz can chopped green chiles

9.      1 (28-ounce) can petite cut diced tomatoes however, only use 2 c of tomatoes

10.  ½ t all-purpose flour

11.  16 corn tortillas

12.  1 ½ cups enchilada sauce, canned

13.  2 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses

14.  Optional garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Place chicken in a pot and fill until covered with water.  Add 2-3 T olive oil and about 1 T salt.  Boil until chicken is cooked and reaches 170 degrees.  Remove from boiling water to cool.  Once cool, remove skin (and bone) and shred chicken with 2 forks or dice with a knife.  Sprinkle chicken with cumin and garlic powder.

Saute onion and garlic in 1-2 T olive oil tender. Add chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes (unless you like lots of tomato in your enchiladas, only add 2 cups (of 3-3 ½) from can.  Saute 1 minute.  Add chicken to mixture.  Dust the mixture with flour to help set.

 

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds.  This softens them and makes them more pliable.  Coat the bottom of 2 (13 x 9-inch pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce.  Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortillas in enchilada sauce to lightly coat.  Spoon 1/4 c chicken mixture in each tortilla.  Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down.  Top with remaining enchilada sauce and 1 cup of cheese for each pan of enchiladas.  Bake for 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree F oven until cheese melts.