Chicken Enchiladas

Have I mentioned how much I love Annie's Eats? Her cooking site is one of my top favorites! And this recipe, just like the others I have tried from her site, won't disappoint. I have another chicken enchilada recipe on my site, but it isn't really "Mexican." It is good, but definitely milder in taste than these. These taste more authentic, more Tex Mex, like the kind you might get at a restaurant. They aren't hard to make, but there are a few steps involved, so it will take just a bit of time. My husband raved about these! If you like chicken enchiladas, make these!

Chicken Enchiladas

adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped fine

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine

1 tsp. canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. cumin

1 tbsp. sugar

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 cup water

Salt and pepper

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided (I was able to find this at my Walmart.)

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided

½ cup minced fresh cilantro

12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas

Cooking spray

Directions:

Chop onions and jalapenos, I used my food processor. Combine the onion, jalapeno and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato sauce and water. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Place the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through (160˚ F on an instant-read thermometer), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible. You can do this or just use a slotted spoon to get out the chunky stuff, leaving the liquid. Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the onion mixture. Add in ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of each of the shredded cheeses, and the cilantro. Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.

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

Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe is linked to Sunday Potluck at Mommy's Kitchen, Prairie Story, and Tasty Traditions and Fat Camp Friday.