Saturday, March 26, 2011

creamy chicken enchiladas

I promise these are super duper good.  A family favorite. (from Martha Stewart, Everyday Food.  Which I love.  I get at least one new dinner idea from each magazine).

We serve them topped with pico,  and avocado, with black beans on the side. 

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (***I use 3 or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled or baked in the oven.  I usually salt and pepper and season with cumin or other southwest flavor.)
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 2 jars (16 ounces each) medium green salsa (***I don't use green salsa, it's too hot and not very sweet.  I like Old El Paso mild green chili enchilada sauce (2 cans).)
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 12 corn tortillas (6-inch)
  • 12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely shredded (3 cups)
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper; place with garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine salsa and cream.
  2. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred meat, discarding skin and bones. Peel and chop garlic. In a large bowl, combine chicken, garlic, and 1/2 cup salsa mixture.
  3. Stack tortillas flat, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute to soften. Working with one tortilla at a time, dip in salsa mixture, lay flat, and fill with 1/3 cup chicken mixture. Roll up and arrange, seam side down, 8 enchiladas lengthwise and 4 crosswise in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with remaining salsa mixture, then cheese.
  4. Bake until cheese is browned and salsa is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes; let rest 10 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with cilantro, if desired.

3 comments:

jamie k said...

these sound really good. we like kim's enchilada's from the family cook book. kelli has an enchilada recipe that's good too ... she made it up herself.

kel, you should post that one.

Emily said...

I've made these, they are my fave, but they're the only recipe i've tried.

jamie k said...

mmm...made these tonight. very good and way easy. i LOVED the pico with it.