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Quick & Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Enchiladas seem like a lot of work to make, at least when you enjoy this dish at your favorite Mexican restaurant. Though the number of ingredients is usually pretty small, it just feels like a dish which involves spending a lot of time in the kitchen to get right. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
As it happens, it does not have to take a long time to make a great batch of enchiladas - and yes, there are indeed enchilada recipes which are pretty labor intensive, but this easy chicken enchiladas recipe is not one of them. Even if you have never tried your hand at making enchiladas before, you can make this recipe turn out wonderfully.
This is a classic-style chicken enchilada recipe which uses a couple of shortcuts to reduce the time and effort involved in making them. For instance, this recipe calls for pre-made taco sauce and canned tomato sauce rather than making your own enchilada sauce; and you can also use pre-shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese if this is easier for you.
Quick Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients -
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 white or yellow onion, diced
⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers (use more or less to taste), minced
1 tsp oregano (Mexican oregano, if possible)
1 cup sharp cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
⅓ cup chopped green bell pepper
8 corn tortillas
1 (12 ounce) jar taco sauce (use a Mexican brand if possible, ranchera sauce is also good)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil for sautéing
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Heat oil in a saucepan and sauté half of the onion, half of the garlic, jalapeno, bell pepper and half of the cilantro. Once the onions and garlic become translucent, add the chicken and cook until heated through, remove from heat, season to taste with salt and black pepper and fill warmed corn tortillas with the chicken mixture, then roll up and add to a baking dish.
In another pan, heat a little more oil and sauté the remaining onion and garlic, then add the tomato sauce and taco sauce and heat, stirring regularly. Taste and add a little salt and pepper, if needed. Top the enchiladas with the sauce and the shredded cheese, then bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and starts to brown slightly. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.
Making great meals, especially great Mexican meals like these easy chicken enchiladas does not have to take a lot of time or involve a lot of work. Taking less than an hour from assembling your ingredients to being on your plate, you can enjoy these wonderful chicken enchiladas almost anytime you like. You can easily prepare these enchiladas on a weeknight for dinner, even if you are tired from your day - and you can make them for weekend meals as well (even brunch, where they are certain to be a favorite). Enchiladas can be a lot of work, yes, but they can also be as easy as this amazing chicken enchilada recipe. Try it once and you will certainly be making it again soon.
(Serves 2)
