Delicious Homemade Chicken Enchiladas

I was first introduced to these awesome enchiladas by my friend Jen from Hope Studios.  Jen is a great cook and baker and everything she makes is delicious!  She's really great at adding those extra touches to make a dish look great too.  Above are the enchiladas I made and below are the enchiladas Jen made.

This is Mexican comfort food at it's best!  I loved all the toppings she prepared so we could personalize them.  My favorites are avocado, lettuce, just a smidge of sour cream, and lots of cilantro.  Serve these enchiladas with Mexican Rice with Black Beans.  If there are any leftovers, I like to freeze one or two in a container with leftover rice and after a few minutes in the microwave, voila! - instant yummy lunch for one!

Chicken Enchiladas

adapted from The New Best Recipe by Cook's Illustrated

serves 6

1 medium onion, diced 

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons chili powder

3 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons sugar

16 ounces canned tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, whole

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

3 tablespoons pickled jalapeno, chopped

1 fresh jalapeno, minced

1/2 cup cilantro, minced

12 6 inch corn tortillas

Coat the bottom of a large saucepan with olive oil and heat over medium low heat. add the onions, cover, and cook until the onions are soft, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomato sauce and water and bring to a simmer. cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Place the chicken in the sauce. reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. 

Strain the sauce to remove solids and season with salt and pepper.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite size pieces. toss the chicken with about 1/2 cup of the sauce, 1 cup cheddar cheese, jalapenos, and cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 300F. spray a 9x13 inch pan with non stick spray. set aside.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave so they are pliable. place about 1/3 of a cup of the chicken mixture in each tortilla. roll each and place them seam side down in the pan. continue until the pan is full.

Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas. sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese. cover with foil and bake about 25 minutes, or until the enchiladas are heated through.