Sour Cream and Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas are my jam. Yes, I am 34, hip and so cool that I can use phrases like ‘my jam’. These enchiladas are SO good. Honestly, the best part about chicken enchiladas is how they taste on DAY #2! Wait for it…they get better. So if you aren’t a leftover person, you are missing out my friends. I have been making these for a very long time, but just changed up my approach to the chicken and it is so much better!

Now, I wouldn’t lie to ya’ – these should not be filed in the ‘healthy’ recipe section.I’ve just gotten back into my major gym routine and I barely eat all day due to my crazy work routine, so my dinners can be calorie bombs and I deserve it!  By making these choices you can decrease the fat/calorie content: use corn tortillas, not flour. use low fat cheese and reduce the overall quantity. You can remove the cheese within the tortillas and it won’t taste that much different. Use light sour cream (never use fat free, that tastes like craft paste). User buttermilk instead of heavy whipping cream.

This recipe makes 10 large enchiladas. I usually make one pan to serve that night, then I freeze a batch for later. If you do freeze a batch, you shouldn’t cook them first, just wrap tightly, freeze, thaw and THEN bake. Keeps them from getting mushy.

So, now that I’ve built this up…let’s go!

INGREDIENTS

• • 4 medium sized chicken breasts
  • 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
  • 10 flour tortillas – small
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 4 small cans green chiles – chopped
  • 1 whole jalapeño – remove seeds and finely chop
  • 6 gloves of garlic finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/4 cup light sour cream
  • 1 1/4 cup Monterey jack cheese
  • 1 cup pepper jack cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Your favorite tomato based salsa
  • chopped cilantro for garnish (about 3 tbsp)

Marinade for chicken

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Grated zest from 2 limes
• Juice from 2 limes, about 1/4 cup
• 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix marinade ingredients
2. Put chicken and marinade in Ziploc bag or container with tight fitting lid
3. Turn/toss bag to coat chicken and let marinate for at least 3 hours, no more than 24 hours.
4. Heat grill to medium heat.
5. Cook chicken until heated 165 degrees through. Takes about 7-10 minutes. Ensure its cooked through but not dry. Check often to ensure its not overcooked!
6. Pull from grill and immediately shred. Using two dinner forks, pull and shred apart the chicken discarding any cartilage or fatty parts. Set aside
7. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat
8. Toss the onions, garlic and jalapeño in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are soft
9. Add in chicken and  2 cans of chopped green chiles. Cook for 3-4 minutes until mixed well and heated through
10. Add in heavy cream, 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/2 tsp paprika
11. Heat until bubbly and set aside
12. Stack the 10 tortillas, wrap in damp paper towels and microwave for 30-45 seconds until heated through. Leave in microwave.
13. In a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium heat
14. Sprinkle in flour and stir until thick
15. Slowly pour in the remaining chicken broth and continue to stir until the sauce is a thick consistency
16. Add in the other 2 cans of green chiles and the rest of the paprika (1/2 tsp)
17. Add in 1/2 cup Monterey jack cheese.
18. Stir until thick, melted and slightly bubbly.
19. Toss in about 2 pinches of salt and about 1-2 tbsp of pepper. (this is how I like it so you can taste for yourself and adjust as needed)
20. Turn off heat and stir occasionally to prevent ‘milk film’ on top and to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Assembly & baking of the enchiladas:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Lightly oil the bottom of two baking pans, I used 9×13 glass
3. Pull the tortillas from the microwave
4. in the center of the tortilla place a small amount of cheese
5. Top with the chicken mixture
6. Roll tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish
7. Continue until all enchiladas are rolled
8. Divide sauce in two and pour over the enchiladas – be sure to slowly drizzle to cover all areas. You may have to lift one end of the pan and then the other to spread sauce around evenly if you missed a spot.
9. Top each pan with the remaining cheese and place in oven
10. Cook for 30 minutes
11. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes
12. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over enchiladas
13. Serve with your favorite salsa on top!

To read more of Angela’s recipes, follow her blog at addavocado.wordpress.com.