It's no secret that we love Mexican food around here. In fact, I could probably eat Mexican food every night of the week and never get tired of it. That's why when I saw these chicken enchiladas on Doughseedough, I immediately knew I'd make them for our next Blogger's Choice Recipe Swap.
These were just perfect-seriously, every bit as good as any enchilada I've ordered from a restaurant. They are perfectly soft and cheesy with just the right amount of spices. I love that everything down to the sauce is homemade but this recipe was not complicated at all to make. It was a definite winner of a recipe and we will be having these again and again!
Chicken Enchiladas
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
3 teaspoons sugar
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 cup grated extra sharp white cheddar
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) tortillas (I used flour)
cooking spray
salt and ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, jalapeno and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until just fragrant, no more than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
Place the chicken into the sauce and cover the pan. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.
Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onion mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup of the cheeses, and the cilantro. Stir to combine.
Preheat oven to 425.
Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel; microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place enchilladas in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly (skip this step if you don't like the crunch-I skipped this step).
Reduce oven to 400. Remove enchiladas and pour sauce evenly on top. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.
Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc.
To freeze: Cover the baking dish with a lid and freeze until ready to eat. When ready to eat, take the dish out of the freezer. Preheat oven to 375°F. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Remove from oven, and let cool slightly before serving.
Source: Slightly adapted from Doughseedough, adapted from Annie's Eats
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
3 teaspoons sugar
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 cup grated extra sharp white cheddar
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) tortillas (I used flour)
cooking spray
salt and ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, jalapeno and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until just fragrant, no more than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
Place the chicken into the sauce and cover the pan. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.
Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onion mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup of the cheeses, and the cilantro. Stir to combine.
Preheat oven to 425.
Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel; microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place enchilladas in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly (skip this step if you don't like the crunch-I skipped this step).
Reduce oven to 400. Remove enchiladas and pour sauce evenly on top. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.
Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc.
To freeze: Cover the baking dish with a lid and freeze until ready to eat. When ready to eat, take the dish out of the freezer. Preheat oven to 375°F. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Remove from oven, and let cool slightly before serving.
Source: Slightly adapted from Doughseedough, adapted from Annie's Eats
We love chicken enchiladas at our house, but we are lazy and don't make our own sauce. I didn't realize it was so easy - I bet it's a million times better than the shortcut version! =)
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