I live in South Florida, Great restaurants, great parties Fantastic wealth of Latin Cuisine.
While I love Latin Food, I do love enjoying it in a quiet peaceful environment, without Mariachi Musicians and People way to happy from Margaritas! Making Latin Food at home is just the alternative I need.
I simply make Chicken Enchiladas and Lime Crema. It's fantastic with my little sangria spritzer and some nice Jazz on the stereo. What could be better?
Yummy Enchiladas should have a wonderfully smokey flavorful sauce no matter what filling you choose. I decided to use Chicken as my protein this time. You can use Chicken, Pork, Ground Beef, Steak or even Shrimp. It's all up to you.
The remainder of the filling is pretty much the same across the board.
I use a refried white beans. My choice today was from Old El Paso. As I did not have another dish to make with beans, I was not making beans for just this recipe. Here is a
perfectly good recipe, from Nicole @ "
Pinch My Salt" if you decide to go the whole path to originality in your Enchilada. In this case I am perfectly fine with the canned version. I then add cheese and my protein that has been simmered in my Enchilada sauce. I wrap in a Flour or Corn Tortilla, smather with sauce and a heaping load of Cheese and bake for 30 or so minutes and
voilà!! Enchiladas! Here's the real Recipe!
Ingredients
2 cups Shredded Chicken (skinless)(leftover rotisserie chicken is great here)
4 cups shredded Cheese (I used Sharp cheddar and Pepper Jack)
2 cups Enchilada Sauce (canned or as seen below)
10-12 oz Refried Beans
1 tbsp chopped Cilantro or Parsley
6 Medium Flour or Corn Tortillas
2 tbs Lime Zest
Juice of 1 Lime
1 cup Sour Cream
*For The Enchilada Sauce
3 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 tbsp Flour
1/4 cup Chili Powder
2 cups Chicken Stock
10 oz Tomato Paste
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
**may add hot sauce if desired**
Instructions
Make Enchilada Sauce:
In Medium Sauce Pan add Vegetable Oil and flour. Stir until smooth. Cook for 1 minute.
Add chili powder and cumin. Stir until completely combined.
Add stock. Bring to a boil.
Add Tomato Paste, Oregano and Salt and Pepper.
Combine well.
Simmer 15 minutes on Medium/Low Heat.
Remove from heat.
Pour 3/4 cup sauce into 13x9x2 Baking Dish.
Add protein to remainder of sauce.
Preheat Oven to 400°
Warm (Paper towel wrapped) Tortillas for 30 seconds in microwave to soften.
Take first tortilla spread 2 tbsp refried beans to it's center.
Add 2-3 tbsp Chicken with sauce on top.
Add 2-3 tbsp cheese
Sprinkle with cilantro.
Roll and place with seam side down into baking dish.
Repeat for remaining tortillas.
Once pan is full. Cover Rolls with remaining sauce.
Bake in 400° oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with additional Shredded cheese.
Bake until cheese is melted and "ooey gooey".
Combine Sour Cream, Lime zest and juice.
Spoon Cream over top of Enchilada when serving.
Can also be served with Guacamole. (smashed avocado, lime juice salt and pepper)
The cream and guacamole together is awesome.
Enjoy!
