The Secret To Making Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

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If sour cream sauce isn't your favorite topping for chicken enchiladas, then this recipe is for you!  This dish includes white corn tortillas stuffed with seasoned chicken and cheese, then topped with a homemade enchilada sauce and more cheese, then they are baked until ooey-gooey perfection.

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This delicious enchilada sauce can be made spicy or mild, and its not as difficult as you would think it would be.  Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients to enchilada sauce:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 can stewed tomatoes 
• 1 tablespoon chili powder (use more or less depending on how spicy you like your enchiladas)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Steps:

Heat the butter over medium heat in a medium sized sauce pan.

While the butter is heating, add the stewed tomatoes, onion, garlic, and cumin to a blender.  Blend until smooth.

When the butter is hot, stir in the flour and chili powder, and cook until browned 3-5 minutes stirring constantly.

Slowly stir in the stewed tomatoes and the water.

Continue cooking the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes.

Easy!  It tastes so much better than store bought too.  Once you make it, you'll be questioning why you ever used store-bought.

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Ingredients for the enchiladas:

• 12 white corn tortillas
• 3 chicken breasts (de-frosted if using frozen)
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (I like McCormick)
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (I like to use medium sharp or sharp cheddar; add more if you like your enchiladas extra cheesy)
• enchilada sauce (you can use store bought if you like, but homemade is so yummy)
• oil

**I have made this recipe using ground turkey or beef as well.  Super delicious!**

Steps:

Fill a large stock-pot with a good amount of water.

Add the taco seasoning, as well as the chicken breasts to the water and simmer for 35-40 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the tortillas.  This is also a good time to make the enchilada sauce.

 Pour enough oil into a large sauce pan to cover the bottom.

Heat over medium-high heat until hot. 

When oil is hot, place two corn tortillas in the pan at a time, and lightly fry: about 15-30 seconds on each side.  This will ensure that your tortillas are nice and flexible, so they won't break when you roll them.

Set fried tortillas on a plate lined with a paper towel or a towel.

When chicken is cooked, remove from water, and place on a cutting board, and allow chicken to cool for 10 minutes.

When cooled, shred chicken either using clean fingers (I find this to be the easiest option) or two forks.

Place your shredded chicken in a bowl.

Now its time to assemble your enchiladas!

At the head of your assembly line have your plate of fried tortillas.  Next, place the shredded chicken in one bowl, the grated cheese in another, and the enchilada sauce in another.

Brush a tortilla on each side with enchilada sauce.

Add 1 tablespoon of shredded chicken and as much cheese as desired to the inside of the tortilla (make sure not to overstuff the tortilla, this will make it hard to roll the tortilla up.)

Roll the enchilada tightly, and place it into a 9X11 glass baking dish.

Repeat with the remaining 11 tortillas.

Top the enchiladas with the remaining enchilada sauce and top with desired amount of grated cheddar cheese.

Place in a 350 F degree oven for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melty and looks delicious!

Serve with Spanish rice.

Who needs a Mexican food restaurant for delicious cheesy chicken enchiladas when you can make them so easily from your own kitchen?! This wasn't always the case, as we never thought we could make them as good as the restaurants until we found little secret of frying the tortillas beforehand. You can bet this recipe will surely be one that is requested over and over again.

Enjoy!

    ~ Chef Megs