Chicken Enchiladas

Ha! So I thought I was going to be able to update this once a week. Seems the year has gotten away from me! Well, here is the Chicken Enchilada recipe we always use.

Tip #6: Poaching Chicken is a quick easy way of cooking chicken. You can even poach frozen chicken breasts! Just increase the poaching time by about 5 to 10 minutes and check the meat with a thermometer to be sure it's cooked. To poach chicken you need enough liquid (usually chicken broth) to cover your chicken, you can add any other spices you want. After you cover your chicken, be sure to keep the liquid from boiling too much or you'll end up with dry chicken! (see the recipe for how to poach chicken :-))

 

Chicken Enchiladas

8 soft flour tortillas

3 Cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh oregano (1 teas. dried)
1 onion, quartered
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teas. ground cumin
1 teas. Chili powder
2 to 3 Cups Enchilada Sauce
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¼ cilantro leaves, chopped
                                 
1. Preheat oven to 275, wrap tortillas in foil and warm in oven (I always skip this part)

2. Place a medium sized skillet on high heat, add broth, bay leaf, oregano and onion. Bring to a boil. Add chicken and return to boil. Cover with lid and reduce heat to medium. Poach chicken about 10 minutes or until cooked. Remove chicken and cool, reserve ½ cup poaching liquid.

3. Shred chicken into small strips using two forks or fingers. Add ½ cup poaching liquid, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder and season with salt and pepper.

4. Remove tortillas from oven, increase heat to 350.

5. Pour about ¼ Cup Enchilada sauce on bottom of 13x9 pan. Divide chicken equally between tortillas and roll into tube. Place enchiladas seam side down in casserole. Pour remaining sauce over tubes, top with cheese.

6. Bake about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro.

 (If Frozen, remove saran wrap! Replace foil and bake about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove foil bake about 5 minutes with broiler on to brown cheese)

Variation: We usually put potatoes and peas in our enchiladas (no idea, ask my husband). I cut up potatoes into ½ inch squares and throw it in when the chicken is poaching (if there isn’t enough room in the pan, throw in the potatoes after the chicken is done). Then when I fill the tortillas I add the potatoes and frozen peas.

~Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-enchiladas-recipe/index.html

Enchilada Sauce

¼ Cup oil
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons Chili powder
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 ½ Cups water
1 teaspoon Cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon red pepper sauce
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Salt

1. Heat oil in small saucepan till shimmering. Add flour and chili powder. Cook, stirring constantly until browned (about 2 minutes)

2. Add the rest of the ingredients, cook about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened.

(Feel free to adjust any ingredients to taste! If you want it spicier or bolder, increase chili powder and red pepper sauce, etc)
~adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chicken-enchiladas-recipe/index.html