Chicken Enchiladas

The Dinner Club is back, and on this particular night the theme was… Tex Mex!  I decided to bring back some old favourites while trying out new recipes, so on the menu was Taco Salad, Chilli Con Carne and Chilli Con Queso, and chicken enchiladas.

The main dish of the night was of course the chicken enchiladas, and in their most basic form they are so simple to make yet so amazingly good.  I got the recipe off of one of those recipe cards I used to get in my mail, back when I was studying in the States.  The recipe cards seem to be designed for busy people or beginner cooks, and the ingredients were mostly store-bought items or leftovers. They were a lifesaver for me, especially when I first started cooking. After gaining more experience, if I had more time on hand or was feeling particularly adventurous, I would replace some of the ready-made ingredients with homemade versions. In the case of the enchiladas I made my own salsa, based by the recipe by RecipeTin Eats.

The original recipe also called for Velveeta cheese, generally not available in Malaysia except for the rare occasion a grocer imports them from the US. Velveeta contains enzymes and gelatin, both could be of animal origin with no evidence so far to state otherwise. Due to the questionable halal status of Velveeta, I substituted it with a recipe by Kimmy’s Southern Cooking, using Monterey Jack cheese brands with microbial, vegetarian enzymes.

You can go for the simplest approach, using leftover roast chicken and getting store-bought salsa. You can also take some time to elevate it with homemade components. Either way, do give this delicious recipe a try, but be warned; they are not for the health conscious (or lactose intolerant)!

Enjoy!

Step by Step

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

In a saucepan over low heat, add the chicken, bell pepper, cream cheese, and half of the salsa and cook, stirring, until the cream cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly combined.

Divide the chicken mixture into 8 equal portions. Spoon each portion down the centre of each tortilla, and roll up.  Place in a lightly greased 12 x 8 inch baking dish.

Next, make the cheese sauce. In a saucepan over low heat, add the Montery Jack, cream cheese and milk. Let the cheeses melt, stirring, until a smooth mixture forms.

When it cools a little and becomes less runny (think thick lava consistency), pour the cheese sauce down the middle of the tray over the tortillas. Cover with foil.

Bake for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Pour the remaining salsa over the chicken enchiladas.

Optional Step: Preparing the Chicken

Pat dry the chicken chops and rub with some cooking oil. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. You may also simply use your favorite chicken seasoning.

In a large skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat. When the oil starts shimmering, lower the heat to medium low. Add the chicken to the pan skin-side down and cook, undisturbed, until browned and no longer sticking to the pan, 2 to 3 minutes.  Flip and continue to cook, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 70 degrees C, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip skin-side down again and cook undisturbed, until skin is crispy, another 1 to 2 minutes.

Alternatively, arrange skin-side down in your air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving some space in between. Air fry at 200 degrees C for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.

Let rest for 5 minutes. Shred or chop the chicken.  You should get about 2 cups.

Optional Step: Making the Salsa

In the jar of your food processor, add all the ingredients. Be sure to add the onion and jalapenos first.

Pulse a few times then blitz to the desired consistency. Careful not to make the salsa too chunky. We will be using some of the salsa in the enchilada filling and will want it to be more evenly spread.

Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Chicken Enchiladas

Flour or corn tortillas with creamy chicken filling, topped with cheese sauce and salsa.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

For the Filling

• 2 cups cooked chicken meat from leftovers OR make your own, recipe follows
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 250 grams cream cheese cubed
• 1 cup hot salsa store-bought or make your own, recipe follows

For the Cheese Sauce

• 175 grams Monterey Jack cheese see note
• 175 grams cream cheese cubed
• ¼ cup full cream milk

Assembly

• 8 flour OR corn tortillas

For the Chicken

• 2 boneless chicken chops
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Garlic powder to taste
• Onion powder to taste
• Smoked paprika to taste

For the Salsa

• ¼ medium yellow onion chopped, about ¼ cup
• 1 jalapeno pepper seeded, roughly chopped
• 400 grams crushed tomatoes (passata rustica)
• 120 grams canned chopped green chilis
• ¼ cup cilantro chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ½ tablespoon lime juice plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon  salt plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
• In a saucepan over low heat, add the chicken, bell pepper, cream cheese, and half of the salsa and cook, stirring, until the cream cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly combined.
• I clearly forgot to add the bell peppers when I took this picture.
• Divide the chicken mixture into 8 equal portions.  Spoon each portion down the centre of each tortilla, and roll up.  Place in a lightly greased 12 x 8 inch baking dish.
• Next, make the cheese sauce. In a saucepan over low heat, add the Montery Jack, cream cheese and milk. Let the cheeses melt, stirring, until a smooth mixture forms.
• When it cools a little and becomes less runny (think thick lava consistency), pour the cheese sauce down the middle of the tray over the tortillas, and cover with foil.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Pour the remaining salsa over the tortillas.

Optional Step: Preparing the Chicken

• Pat dry the chicken chops and rub with some cooking oil.  Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. You may also simply use your favorite chicken seasoning.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat.  When the oil starts shimmering, lower the heat to medium low. Add the chicken to the pan skin-side down and cook, undisturbed, until browned and no longer sticking to the pan, 2 to 3 minutes.  Flip and continue to cook, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 70 degrees C, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip skin-side down again and cook undisturbed, until skin is crispy, another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Alternatively, arrange skin-side down in your air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving some space in between. Air fry at 200 degrees C for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
• Let rest for 5 minutes, then shred or chop the chicken.  You should get about 2 cups.

Optional Step: Making the Salsa

• In the jar of your food processor, add all the ingredients. Be sure to add the onion and jalapenos first.
• Pulse a few times then blitz to the desired consistency. Careful not to make the salsa too chunky, as we will be using some in the enchilada filling and will want the salsa to be more evenly spread.
• Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Notes

• For best results when melting cheese, get block cheese and shred it yourself.