Chicken Enchiladas

Happy New Year!  2010! 

 This is my favorite recipe for Chicken Enchiladas that I've been making for years, it is so much more than just chicken rolled in tortilla shells.  It's also a great meal for a party or if you want to make a freezer-friendly meal for yourself or others.   

It is a recipe by my favorite Food Network chef - Tyler Florence from an old episode of Food 911 (loved that show!).  Whom, I recently had the pleasure of meeting at a Wegmans book signing.  Yes, he is just as good looking in real life as he is on tv!  :)  Here he is signing my book, with my mom and niece (who can't keep her eyes off him! lol)

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 (4 oz. can) diced green chilies
• 4 canned chipotle chilies in adobo, seeded and minced
• 1 (14-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 16 corn tortillas (I've also used flour - but they don't freeze as well as corn)
  
• 3 (15 oz cans) enchilada sauce
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar and/or Jack cheeses
• Garnish (optional): chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Directions 

1. Coat large saute pan with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7 minutes each side or until no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with cumin and Mexican spices before turning. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool. 

2.  Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and both types of chilies. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute. 

3. Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables.

4.Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. 

5. Coat the bottom of 2 (9 x 13-inch) pans (make one for the freezer!) with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

6. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving. 

Source: Tyler Florence


Printer-friendly version