Alexandra’s Chicken Enchiladas (a.k.a. Chickiladas!)

Some of you may remember the blog post from several years ago when I turned a piece of sheet metal into a magnetic spice rack chalkboard.  Over the years, people have grabbed a stick of chalk when no one was looking and added comical names beside the spice names.  For example: "Y'all Spice," "Rosemary's Baby," "Michael Bay Leaf," and well you get the picture!

Since this is the highlight of my kitchen and the one thing everyone seems to comment when they visit our house for the first time, John and I thought it would be fun to give spices in magnetic tins as a gift for guests at our upcoming wedding.  Low and behold we were gifted a bunch of magnetic tins that John's sister-in-law was no longer using...so our fate was sealed! ;)

Since we have a dual Indian and Mexican theme to our wedding, I thought it would be cool to have Indian or Mexican recipes accompany each spice.  You know, so you can SPICE Up Your Life!

My dear friend Alex sent me this recipe to use and I thought I would share it on the blogosphere.  Especially since it's been awhile since I have taken time to blog.  Been a little busy in my world!  I know, always the same story.  Anyway, check out the recipe.

Alexandra’s Chicken Enchiladas (a.k.a. Chickiladas!)

Sidebar: Make your meal extra authentic and save some cash by shopping at your local Hispanic supermarket for ingredients! Their produce is generally beautiful, and you’ll pay way fewer pesos.

Sidebar on that Sidebar: Do not actually try to pay in pesos. That would be ridiculous.

Sauce:

·         28 oz. Jar San Marzano tomatoes, hand-crushed in a large bowl

( About 2/3 of it goes in sauce, 1/3 goes in chicken)

·         2 (or more) cloves of garlic, minced

·         2-3 chipotle chilies canned in adobo sauce, minced

·         ½ tsp ground cumin

·         ½ tsp chipotle chili powder

·         1 cup chicken broth

·         Pinch of sugar

Chicken:

·         Olive oil

·         1 cooked rotisserie chicken (skinned & shredded)

·         1 cup (or more) onion, diced

·         1 red bell pepper, diced

·         2 (or more) cloves of garlic, minced

·         ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

·         ½ to 1 cup chicken broth

·         1 tsp ground cumin

·         ½ tsp oregano

·         Rest of hand-crushed tomato sauce left over from sauce

·         1 hot chili pepper, seeded and diced (jalapeno, scotch bonnet, habanero, whatever you can handle)

·         Juice of 1 lime

·         2 cups shredded cheese (at Hispanic market, the light shredded cheese called “Quesadilla Melting Cheese” is the best, but you could use anything

·         ½ wheel of queso fresco, crumbled

·         10 flour tortillas

·         Extra: scallions, sour cream, extra queso fresco crumbles for topping.

Sauce:

Sauté garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat. Add adobo chilies, then spices (chipotle chili powder and cumin), and sauté one minute more.  Add tomato sauce and chicken broth. Salt ‘n’ Pepa. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer; simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add a pinch of sugar if it tastes bitter at all. Set aside.

Chicken:

Sauté onion, red pepper until just soft – add a little salt as they cook; add garlic and fresh chili (jalapeno or other) for the last minute of sautéing. Add cilantro, oregano, chipotle chili powder, cumin, Salt ‘n’ Pepa. Add reserved tomato sauce, chicken broth, and shredded chicken. Simmer about 10 minutes, or until liquid reduces enough to spoon out as filling. Crumble in queso fresco, squeeze in lime juice.

Spray 9”x13” casserole dish with cooking spray. Roll 10 tortillas with ¼ to 1/3 cup each, and place seam-side down in dish. Top with sauce, then with shredded melting cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Top with scallions, sour cream, extra queso crumbles. Enjoy!

"The finest ingredients are brought together with love and care, then slow-cooked to perfection. Yes, the old ways are still best at Los Pollos Hermanos. But don't take my word for it. One taste, and you'll know."