Weeknight Enchiladas
by Christina Valagao
Spice up a weeknight dinner with these easy to make Chicken Enchiladas.
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Ingredients:
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1 can of white cannellini beans
- 3 cloves roasted garlic
- 8 small corn tortillas
- Green salsa, preferably La Costeña
- 1 package Frontera green enchilada sauce
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, preferably Dubliner and aged cheddar
Garnish:
- Cilantro, finely chopped
- Pickled or fresh jalapeños, thinly sliced
- Avocados, sliced
- Sour Cream
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a nonstick pan over low heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and soften garlic and onion until translucent, or about 15 minutes. Do not brown. You just want to just soften this mixture, so it is fragrant and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Grate both cheeses and mix in a bowl, set aside.
3. Poach chicken in water or chicken stock until cooked through, then shred into thick bite-sized pieces and pour several tablespoons of green salsa over warm chicken. Doing so will help the flavours infuse into the meat better. Set aside.
4. Drain and rinse cannellini beans and purée in food processor with 2 cloves of roasted garlic. Thin the bean mixture with 2-3 tablespoons of water, or until it reaches a smooth paste with no lumps. Set aside.
5. Dampen a paper towel and wrap 4 tortillas in the damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. The tortillas should be warm and pliable. Repeat this step for the remaining 4 tortillas.
6. In an oven-safe baking dish, pour 1 tablespoon of oil to ensure your enchiladas don’t stick to the pan. Follow with enough green salsa to create a thin layer on the bottom of the dish. (About ½ cup spread evenly).
7. Assemble enchiladas as follows: lay tortilla on a flat surface, spread a layer of puréed beans evenly (about 1 heaping tablespoon). Add a thin layer in the middle of sautéed onion mixture, then add a thin layer of the chicken mixture, top with a sprinkling of cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly and place in baking dish, seam side down. As you fill the baking dish, place each rolled tortilla close together so there is no space between them.
8. Pour the Frontera green enchilada sauce overtop the rolled, stuffed tortillas and make sure it is spread evenly in the sides and crevices. Top with remaining cheese.
9. Bake at 375F covered with foil for 15 minutes and remove foil and bake for 5-7 additional minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Serve with sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, and sour cream.
- Note: If cooking from frozen, bake at 325F-350F for 60-90 minutes, covered in foil. Remove foil with 10-15 minutes remaining, cook until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Serves 4-6
2. Grate both cheeses and mix in a bowl, set aside.
3. Poach chicken in water or chicken stock until cooked through, then shred into thick bite-sized pieces and pour several tablespoons of green salsa over warm chicken. Doing so will help the flavours infuse into the meat better. Set aside.
4. Drain and rinse cannellini beans and purée in food processor with 2 cloves of roasted garlic. Thin the bean mixture with 2-3 tablespoons of water, or until it reaches a smooth paste with no lumps. Set aside.
5. Dampen a paper towel and wrap 4 tortillas in the damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. The tortillas should be warm and pliable. Repeat this step for the remaining 4 tortillas.
6. In an oven-safe baking dish, pour 1 tablespoon of oil to ensure your enchiladas don’t stick to the pan. Follow with enough green salsa to create a thin layer on the bottom of the dish. (About ½ cup spread evenly).
7. Assemble enchiladas as follows: lay tortilla on a flat surface, spread a layer of puréed beans evenly (about 1 heaping tablespoon). Add a thin layer in the middle of sautéed onion mixture, then add a thin layer of the chicken mixture, top with a sprinkling of cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly and place in baking dish, seam side down. As you fill the baking dish, place each rolled tortilla close together so there is no space between them.
8. Pour the Frontera green enchilada sauce overtop the rolled, stuffed tortillas and make sure it is spread evenly in the sides and crevices. Top with remaining cheese.
9. Bake at 375F covered with foil for 15 minutes and remove foil and bake for 5-7 additional minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Serve with sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, and sour cream.
- Note: If cooking from frozen, bake at 325F-350F for 60-90 minutes, covered in foil. Remove foil with 10-15 minutes remaining, cook until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Serves 4-6
Copyright (c) Christina Valagao 2023
