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The Best Chicken Enchiladas

Posted on 03/23/2010 by Maura

HOLY CRAP, these are the best enchiladas ever.

They are a little spicy, do not overdo it on the cheese, and most importantly, are not soggy!  The corn tortillas really holds up, especially because you cook the enchiladas uncovered without the sauce until the tortilla gets a bit crispy, then put them back in the oven with the sauce and cheese for the rest of the cooking time.  It results in a product that is in tact and SO TASTY.  You could sub flour tortillas in place of the corn, but I think it might get soggy.

I freaked out when I tried a bite.  And–the best part–they are under 500 calories for two enchiladas!  I served them with a strawberry and avocado salad, which I will post another day, so I didn’t have guacamole on the side.  Feel free to make some and serve it up, though!

To Make Vegetarian: Omit the chicken & add beans.

Do-Ahead: Cook and shred the chicken the night before (or just ahead of time) and put them in the sauce for a few minutes to marinate.

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

Serves 6-8

Adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced

2 jalapenos, seeds removed & diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

3 medium cloves garlic, minced (I grated them)

3 tablespoons red chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

3 teaspoons sugar

(1) 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 large tomato, seeds removed & diced

3 large skinless chicken breasts

1 cup extra sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

12 (6 in.) soft corn or flour tortillas

cooking spray (Pam)

salt & pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the onion, jalapeno, salt and vegetable oil in a large saucepan with a lid. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened (about 8-10 minutes).  Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar and stir to incorporate.  Mix in the tomato sauce, water and tomato. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes).

Add the chicken breasts to the sauce, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12-20 minutes. When the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the sauce and place it on a plate to cool.

Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture with a spoon 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 the chicken with two forks into bite-sized pieces. Add the shredded chicken to the onin mixture along with 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.

Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel.  Microwave on high until warm and bendable, 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 9×13 in. baking dish that is sprayed with Pam.

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

Reduce heat to 400 degrees. Remove enchiladas from the oven and pour the rest of the 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 just until the cheese browns. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with sour cream, guacamole and/or salsa.

Enjoy!

About Maura

I have a secret: I cannot do anything in moderation. I always have to take things to the extreme, at the expense of my own and my family's sanity and often times my dad’s checkbook. When I started taking horseback riding lessons, I insisted on having a pony. When I ice skated for probably the second time, I made my mom buy me ice skates that were never again worn. When I thought I wanted to be a teacher, I made my parents turn one of the rooms in the basement into a school room, stocked with an overhead projector, pull-down maps and a real, classroom-sized chalkboard and white board. When I discovered cooking I bossed my older sister around in the kitchen for an entire day, forcing her to make dozens of recipes with me against her will and then had her do all the dishes (sorry Cait). And, when I discovered food blogs I bought the biggest binder I could find, printed out 250 recipes in one day and laminated and categorized each one. My dad was not happy about the ink situation. So, what does this tell you about me? For one, you can trust that every recipe I post is more than delicious and has been meticulously tried and tested for you. Also, that I’m an anal freak. Enjoy! View all posts by Maura → This entry was posted in Dinner, Healthy Dishes, Lunch and tagged cheese, chicken, mexican, red chile sauce. Bookmark the permalink. ← Disasters 1, 2 & 3 Mixed Greens with Avocado & Strawberries →