How to Make Easy, Chicken Enchiladas
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Cookbooks for Mexican food
Ingredients
I love enchiladas and a good friend of mine taught me the simple steps that he follows to make a scrumptious Mexican meal.
1. Buy a rotisserie chicken from your neighborhood deli department.
2. Buy one (14 – 16 oz.) can of enchilada sauce.
3. Buy a block of cheddar cheese or already shredded cheese
4. Buy a (7 oz.) can of black olives
5. Buy a (8-16 oz.) carton of sour cream
6. Buy a package of instant rice, Spanish flavor
7. Buy a package of (8-10 count Large) flour or multigrain tortillas
8. Buy one small yellow or red onion
9. Buy one bunch of fresh cilantro
10. Have on hand salt and pepper
Make Mexican Night Easy:
Notes
The ingredient size varies depending on how many people you plan on feeding. I base this recipe on a family of four. I happen to like the multigrain tortillas, but not everyone does and my nephew actually prefers the flavor of the flour tortillas.
While I was living in California I was able to get the green enchilada sauce, which had more ‘bite’ to it, but here on the East coast I’ve only been able to find the red, mild sauce.
You can add hot peppers to the ingredients by chopping up several ‘hot’ banana peppers and mixing them with the other ingredients before rolling up. I don’t add these to mine, although if there is a special request I will chop them and add them to a ‘specially marked’ enchilada or two.
The large tortillas work best, but when in a pinch, I have substituted the eight inch tortilla shells.
Filling: Unless you are feeding a larger crowd, I separate the chicken breast from the dark meat and set this aside for another meal. Usually that will take the form of anything from chopped chicken salad; open faced hot chicken sandwiches; or, my all-time favorite, chicken pot pie.
I use the rest of the meat for the enchiladas because the spicy sauce and mixed flavors will hide the stronger flavor that often accompanies the dark meat.
An alternative to the chicken would be ground beef. Obviously, this would then be called, ‘Easy Beef Enchiladas’.
I use a brown rice to add to the mixture if I do not have a large amount of chicken. If there is plenty of chicken to go into the shells I serve Spanish rice on the side.
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees
2. Cut the chicken away from the bones and chop or slice thinly
3. Cook the rice and add to the chicken in an equal measurement: ½ c to ½ c. or whatever proportions you plan on using.
4. Add 1 c of enchilada sauce
5. Add ½ c of shredded cheddar cheese or a combination of cheddar, and Monterey Jack.
6. If the mixture is too saucy add more chicken and / or rice.
7. If the mixture is too dry, add a bit more sauce
8. Chop 2 T – ¼ c onion and add to the mixture
9. Chop 2 T fresh cilantro and add to the mixture
10. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper
11. Slice ¼ c black olives for topping.
12. Mix everything together thoroughly.
Photo preparation
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Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9 X 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. On each tortilla shell place between 2 T to ¼ c chicken mixture and roll up, placing in the casserole dish, seam side down
- Add a sprinkling of cheese on top of each roll, usually in the center.
- Sprinkle the olives over the cheese.
- Pour the remainder enchilada sauce over the shells and place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese melts.
- Serve with remainder rice, banana peppers and sour cream.
- The prep time should take less than 30 minutes, so dinner would be on the table in less than one hour. These make a great lunch the following day...if there are any leftovers!
The Finished Product:
