Chicken Enchiladas

Plump, juicy enchiladas filled with seasoned chicken, beans, and vegetables, smothered in homemade enchilada sauce.

Ingredients

Enchilada Seasoning

• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, adjust to taste)

Enchilada Sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 500ml chicken stock, low sodium
• 375ml tomato passata

Chicken Filling

• 600g chicken breast, sliced in half horizontally
• 2 tbsp olive oil, separated
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 400g refried beans
• 400g canned corn, drained
• 60ml water
• 100g cheese, shredded (cheddar or Mexican blend)

Assembly

• 8 flour or corn tortillas (about 20cm diameter)
• 150g cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped

Method

1. Mix all enchilada seasoning spices together in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Make enchilada sauce: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir for 20 seconds. Add 2 tbsp of the enchilada seasoning, chicken stock, and tomato passata. Stir to combine.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and cook for 4 minutes, whisking regularly, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick syrup. Remove from heat.
4. Prepare chicken: Drizzle 1 tbsp oil over chicken and toss with remaining enchilada seasoning to coat.
5. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Turn and cook 1.5 minutes more. Remove, rest for 2 minutes, then chop.
6. In the same skillet, add onion and garlic, cook 1 minute. Add capsicum and cook 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
7. Add refried beans, diced chicken, corn, and water. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until slightly reduced. Mixture should be thick and juicy, not watery.
8. Preheat oven to 180°C.
9. Assemble enchiladas: Lay a tortilla on work surface. Spread 2/3 cup filling on lower third, sprinkle with cheese, then roll up with seam side down. Repeat to make 8 enchiladas.
10. Smear a scoop of enchilada sauce across base of a 22cm x 33cm baking pan. Place enchiladas in pan, pour over remaining sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.
11. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
12. Serve immediately, sprinkled with coriander.

Nutrition (per serving, approximate)

Notes

If using corn tortillas or stiff flour tortillas, warm them briefly (10 seconds in microwave) to make them pliable for rolling.

Refried beans help make the filling juicy and hold it together. Available in the Mexican section of supermarkets.

Storage: Cooked leftovers keep for 4 days in fridge. For best results when freezing, keep sauce separate from assembled enchiladas and pour over just before baking.

Can be baked from frozen: Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake 20 minutes more at 180°C.

Source: RecipeTin Eats (Nagi)

Tags: #chicken #mexican