Kitchen Experiments: Lighter Chicken Enchiladas

Mexican is our FAV! We ate it like crazy in Cabo and it tends to be our fall to cuisine if we can't decide what to eat. We both are not fans of enchilada sauce and usually sub queso but I came across this recipe that you make your own sauce. I thought I'd give it another chance. BONUS... with "lighter" in the title it was an instant sell for this health nut.

Lighter Chicken Enchiladas (found on Martha Stewart Food)


INGREDIENTS

Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 to 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotles in adobo
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 corn tortillas (6-inch)
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)

STEPS
1. In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil. Add chicken. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 5 minutes; remove skillet from heat.

2. Let chicken steam, covered, until opaque throughout, 12 to 14 minutes. 

 

3. Transfer chicken to a medium bowl; shred with two forks. Set aside.

John shredded the chicken while I made the sauce. Pan-steaming chicken keeps the meat juicy without any added fat.

4. While chicken is cooking, make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add flour, cumin, and chipotles in adobo; cook, whisking, 1 minute.

5. Whisk in broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly, 5 to 8 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Home-made Enchilada Sauce

6. Transfer 1 cup sauce to bowl with chicken; toss to combine.

7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

 

8. Pour 1/4 cup sauce into bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside. 

 

9. Stack tortillas, and wrap in a double layer of damp paper towels; microwave until hot, about 1 minute. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture; roll up tightly, and arrange, seam side down, in baking dish. 

 

10. Cover with remaining sauce, and top with cheese. 

 

11. Bake until hot and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving

Finished product. We served it with baked corn on the cob John made in foil packs, delicious!

j+k