Merciful God, You are great in compassion and Your tenderness for us is without measure. We ask You to give us today our daily bread, and also provide for the needs of all of Your hungry children around the world. Through Christ Your Son and Our Lord. Amen.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Chicken Cilantro Enchiladas

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This is one of my children's (and husband's) favorite recipes. I had it posted at Praying for Grace, but I took a picture last week when I made it, so I am posting it again here. This is a fairly easy recipe, though mildly time-consuming. The filling is flexible -- if you have leftover chicken from another dish, I'm sure you could use it and sub some canned stock or even water for the cooking liquid. If I have a jalapeno or two, I halve them and add those to the cooking liquid -- just a smidge of spicy.

I always serve it with shredded cabbage, though, and tomatoes and sour cream. This time I served some leftover yellow rice, but beans, or Mexican rice, or even fresh salsa and chips are good along side.




Chicken Cilantro Enchiladas
6 to 8 servings

2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
2 cups water
1 onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic, halved

2 (10 oz) cans enchilada sauce
4 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
8 green onions, chopped
2 T. ciltantro leaves
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
Tabasco sauce, to taste
20 corn tortillas

Bring chicken breasts to boil in water with onion and garlic.
Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done.
Remove chicken from broth and cool; shred meat;
strain broth and reserve 1 1/3 cups.

Add 1 1/3 cups chicken broth
to enchilada sauce in a large bowl; set aside.

For filling, combine chicken, 2 cups cheese,
green onions and chopped cilantro leaves
with salt, pepper and Tabasco.
Add 1 cup enchilada sauce/broth to moisten filling.
To assemble, warm tortillas over a hot skillet
until flexible, flipping once.
Dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce mixture and lay flat.
Fill with 2 T. chicken (and small palmful) and roll tortilla.
Place tortillas, seam side down in 9 x 13 baking dish
(you'll need two dishes).
Spoon remaining sauce on top
and split shredded cheese over both pans of enchiladas.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F., until bubbly.

Top with desired toppings -- I use shredded cabbage,
tomatoes, sour cream and sometimes red onion and more cilantro.
You can also squeeze with a lime for a little jazz.

To stretch your filling ingredients,
you could sub some chicken for canned, drained black beans.


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6 comments:

John said...

It looks so delicious
I'll definitely to come back to your blog again.
www.ahacook.com

Sara said...

You make everything look so lovely. Your family is lucky!

Barbara said...

Thanks, John.

Sara, You are too kind!

Crafty P said...

I have enchiladas on the brain... a few recipes i've been meaning to try and some leftover chicken in the fridge. Maybe I'll try yours! I knew I should have bought green onions at the farmer's market friday!

Barbara said...

Crafty P, This recipe is flexible -- try some red onion, or even a sweet yellow would work.

Margaret in Minnesota said...

Aargh! I forgot the green onions, too! I will indeed substitute a different kind (although...it's Mexican...it SHOULD be green onions...) and will lead the family in a prayer for Mrs. S. when we bless this meal.