New Recipe Night: The Best Chicken Enchiladas

First order of business is to tell you just how amazing this recipe is. I know I've put the cart ahead of the horse here but in this case I just want to shout it from the rooftops!!! These are AMAZINGLY amazing. I took one bite and I felt like I was sitting at Abuelo's eating a meal that someone had made for me. Have I ever mentioned just how much I adore Mexican food. Because I most certainly do. I could eat chips and queso on a daily basis for all three meals and follow it up with a big margarita and some quesadillas or enchiladas. I usually make easy chicken enchiladas using sour cream and green sauce. These are actually a favorite of the hubby's but I think after he taste tested this new recipe he may have changed his mind. So let me back up and give you the low down on this dish.....


I found the recipe right HERE (love this blog by the way). I just couldn't resist the picture that someone had pinned on Pinterest. They looked so good, in fact, that I didn't let the mile-long ingredient list deter me from taking a stab at making them. I was up for the challenge and had an evening to myself to prepare them...and believe me it took every bit of the evening. The one drawback to this recipe is that it is a lot of chopping, stirring, cutting, cooking, etc. But so worth every last bite. I realize for you seasoned kitchen dwellers this ingredient list probably seems very tame....but for an amateur like me who has no business holding a kitchen utensil, it seemed like a long list. ;) I had fun making this dish. Maybe it was the smell of the sauce that had me so giddy in the kitchen. Ok, I'll shutup. Without further ado, here is my new favorite recipe...

Ingredients:


*1 medium onion, chopped fine
*2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
*1 teaspoon canola oil
*3 medium cloves garlic, minced
*3 Tablespoons chili powder
*2 teaspoons ground cumin
*3 teaspoons sugar
*1 15-oz can tomato sauce
*1 cup water
*1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped
*1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
*1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
*1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
*1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
*12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
*cooking spray
*salt and ground black pepper




Directions:


1) Preheat oven to 425.


2) Combine the onion, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil in a large saucepan. cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.

I discovered my love for this pull out drawer/cutting board...how did I just now figure out the convenience of this?!?!

3) Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.

She looks done to me!

4) 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.


5) Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onion mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.

6) Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; 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.

7) Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly

8) Reduce heat 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.


9) Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.


10) Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc.


Hubby approved. Big thumbs up! And I'm not kidding.....it tastes just like Abeulo's enchiladas!!!! Oh yeah, one more thing...ENJOY!!!