30-Minute Green Chicken Enchiladas

I got this recipe from a recent issue of Cook's Country magazine and added the half-and-half to suit my husband's tastes.  (He's become more and more anti-spicy over the years, even mild spicy, but I love him in spite of his deficiencies.)  This is quickly becoming one of our weeknight go-to meals because it's so quick and tasty.

2 (10-ounce) cans green enchilada sauce

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about three cups) OR 2 (12.5-ounce) cans cooked chicken breast, drained and broken into pieces

2 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend OR shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

½ cup half-and-half, whipping cream, or whole milk, optional

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Puree enchilada sauce and 1 cup cilantro in a blender.  Combine 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture, chicken, and 1 ½ cups cheese in a large bowl and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.

Wrap tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and microwave until hot and very pliable, 30 to 90 seconds.  Top each tortilla with approx. ¼ cup chicken mixture, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in a greased 9”x13” baking dish.  Spray tops of enchiladas lightly with cooking spray.

If desired, mix half-and-half, whipping cream, or whole milk with remaining enchilada sauce. Pour 1 to 1 ½ cups sauce mixture over top of enchiladas, then top with remaining 1 cup cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.  If desired, sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro and pass remaining enchilada sauce at table.

enchilada bake

Here's another blog-stalked recipe. It's going on my regular meals list!

8 small flour tortillas, torn into quarters
1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 large leaves of kale, finely chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 soup can of milk
2 cups salsa, divided
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Saute onion and kale together with olive oil. Add corn and cook until no longer frozen. In large bowl, combine rice, beans, soup, milk, cumin and 1 cup salsa. Add kale/onion/corn mixture to bowl and mix well. Spray 9x13 pan with Pam and line with half of tortilla quarters. Spoon filling into pan and then top with remaining tortillas. Spread remaining 1 cup salsa on top {cover the entire thing - this keeps the tortillas from getting crispy while cooking} and sprinkle with shredded cheddar. Cook for 25 minutes at 375*.

January's Enchiladas

1 doz. tortillas-corn or small flour tortillas
1 lb. hamburger, browned and drained
1/2 diced onion cooked with hamburger (optional)
2 cups Pace or other favorite salsa
1 cup (small can) tomato sauce
lots of grated cheese

In a small saucepan, stir and warm the salsa and tomato sauce.
The best way is to fry the tortillas in oil for a few seconds on each side, remove and dip in the salsa or spoon salsa on the tortilla on a plate and fill with 2 T. meat, lots of cheese, roll up and place seam-side down in a 9" x 13" pan spayed with Pam and the bottom covered with a thin layer of salsa mixture. When they are all in the pan, spoon the rest of the salsa over the tops (if not enough salsa, make some more it may really take 3 cups and a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce because I never only made 12 and never measured!). I like each enchilada covered in sauce and then sprinkle more cheese over the salsa. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes. Check them so they don't dry out, but if they do, spoon a little more warmed up salsa over the top. Leave out the meat and you have great cheese enchiladas. Serve with diced tomatoes and thin-sliced lettuce and diced avacados or guacamole and sour cream if you like.

Or, warm the tortillas in the oven and fill each one with the meat and cheese and so forth. It saves a few calories but they don't hold together as well. They still taste fine, though.