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Friday, March 6, 2009

Chicken Enchiladas


This recipe comes from my middle child, Holly, via Texas. Last summer she made them when she was visiting and I made her send me the recipe when she got home. I confess, I did change a couple things, partly be mistake. I should have waited a week though; she's coming to visit again!!


1 rotisserie chicken, picked clean then shredded into small pieces
1-8 oz bag of Mexican blend shredded cheese
1-14 to 16 oz can of green Enchilada sauce (I used red because I picked it up by mistake)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped (my addition)
1 clove minced garlic (my addition also)
2 tbs olive oil (again, my addition)
1-14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies (I use Ro-tel)
1- 8 count pack of 12 inch tortillas (flour or corn - it's up to you)
2 tbs finely chopped cilantro (I used flat leaf parsley)
1 package of dry enchilada or fajita seasoning mix (if you can't find it, don't fret. I used low sodium taco seasoning mix)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic to the pan and cook until tender. This will take about 5-8 minutes.

Dump the tomatoes into a large bowl. If you don't like tomatoes, mash them with a potato masher. Add the cooked vegetables and mix. Add the seasoning mix and stir well. I added a small handful of cheese (although the original recipe doesn't call for it) and the shredded chicken and cilantro (or parsley). Mix well. This mixture should be damp, not wet, so add a bit of the enchilada sauce if necessary.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Add enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the baking dish. This should be a very thin layer, not enough sauce to make the enchiladas soggy. Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture on one end of the tortilla and roll tightly. Place in the baking dish seam side down. Sprinkle the tortillas with half the remaining cheese. Cover the tortillas evenly with the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the cheese is melted and filling is hot.

Serves 8 (or 4 to 6 if you're really hungry)


NOTE: A friend of mine asked, "why am I dumping everything into a bowl when I already have a saute pan going?" I responded, "beats me?" So, do whatever works for you!

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