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Easy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Enchiladas are both among the most popular of Mexican dishes and despite taking a little time to prepare, also one of the easiest to make at home. You only need a relatively small number of ingredients and it is no more difficult to make than many meals in a box, so there is no reason not to have them more often, especially when the alternative is fast food take out.
This chicken enchilada recipe is designed to be easy and quick to make, without skimping on the flavor. The enchilada sauce for this recipe is canned (you can use any brand you prefer) and as long as you have some cooked chicken on hand already, these enchiladas can be ready with a minimal amount of prep time.
To make things even easier, you can use either corn or flour tortillas, whichever you have available at the moment; while many people prefer one or the other, there's no need to run out to the store at the last minute because you only have flour tortillas (or corn, as the case may be) in your refrigerator.
Easy Enchiladas with Chicken
Ingredients -
4 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breasts, shredded
12 small corn or flour tortillas
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1-2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1 large can red enchilada sauce (12 - 16 oz, or 2 smaller cans)
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
½ Monterey jack or sharp cheddar (or a mixture), shredded
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil for sautéing
Salsa, lime wedges and chopped cilantro, for serving
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the garlic, onions and jalapenos.
Once the garlic and onions are translucent, add the shredded chicken, cumin, and oregano, and cook until heated through, about 4-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and place the chicken mixture into a bowl, stirring in most of the chopped cilantro and just a little of the enchilada sauce.
Fill each tortilla with a little of the chicken mixture and fold up into a tube, placing each in a baking dish, seam side down.
Top with the rest of the enchilada sauce and the cheese, then the remaining cilantro and bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling.
Serve hot with salsa, lime wedges, and more chopped cilantro, if desired.
(Serves 4)
Photo Description:
Enchiladas are easy enough to make that they can be a quick weeknight meal, even if you're a little tired by the time you get home - but they're definitely better than most of what we think of as quick meals. The chicken, spices, peppers and enchilada sauce go wonderfully with the melted cheese for a sort of cross between a taco and a Mexican style casserole which is as satisfying as it is easy to prepare. Feel free to elaborate on this recipe; this is only a basic recipe and there is plenty of room to experiment.
