Chicken Enchiladas
Recipe: Chicken Enchiladas
From: Cook's Illustrated, May & June 2003
Serves: 4-5
Sauce and Filling:
1-1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 c.)
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 Tbsp.)
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1/4" wide strips
2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce
3/4 c. water
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 can (4 oz.) pickled jalapeños, drained and chopped (about 1/4 c.)
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated (2 c.)
Tortillas and Toppings:
12 six-inch corn tortillas
vegetable oil cooking spray
3 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese (3/4 c.)
3/4 c. sour cream
1 avocado, diced
5 leaves romaine lettuce, shredded
2 limes, quartered
Heat oil in medium saucepan over med-high heat till hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, till softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and sugar; cook, stirring constantly, till fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, till coated with spices, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce and water; stir to separate chicken pieces. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to med-low. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, till chicken is cooked through and flavors have melded, about 8 min. Pour mixture through medium-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on chicken and onions to extract as much sauce as possible; set sauce aside. Transfer chicken mixture to large plate; freeze for 10 minutes to cool, then combine with cilantro, jalapeños, and cheese in medium bowl and set aside.
Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 300 degrees. Smear entire bottom of 13x9 baking dish with 3/4 c. of the chili sauce. Place tortillas on two baking sheets. Spray both sides lightly with cooking spray. Bake till tortillas are soft and pliable, about 4 min.
Place warm tortillas on countertop. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place 1/3 c. filling down center of each tortilla (place all filling before starting to roll). Roll each tortilla tightly by hand and place in baking dish, side by side, seam-side down, parallel to the short sides of the dish. Pour remaining sauce over top of enchiladas. Use back of spoon to spread sauce so it coats top of each tortilla. Sprinkle 3/4 c. grated cheese down center of enchiladas.
Cover baking dish with foil. Bake enchiladas on lower-middle rack at 400 degrees till heated through and cheese is melted, 20-25 minutes. Uncover and serve immediately, passing sour cream, avocado, lettuce, and lime wedges separately.
Notes:
This reheats fine for flavor although the longer it sits the more the tortillas tend to fall apart as you try to serve them. Tastes fine, but doesn't look very elegant.
It's quite a lot of fussing around, but we think it's worth the effort.
From: Cook's Illustrated, May & June 2003
Serves: 4-5
Sauce and Filling:
1-1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 c.)
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 1 Tbsp.)
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1/4" wide strips
2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce
3/4 c. water
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 can (4 oz.) pickled jalapeños, drained and chopped (about 1/4 c.)
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated (2 c.)
Tortillas and Toppings:
12 six-inch corn tortillas
vegetable oil cooking spray
3 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese (3/4 c.)
3/4 c. sour cream
1 avocado, diced
5 leaves romaine lettuce, shredded
2 limes, quartered
Heat oil in medium saucepan over med-high heat till hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, till softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and sugar; cook, stirring constantly, till fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, till coated with spices, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce and water; stir to separate chicken pieces. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to med-low. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, till chicken is cooked through and flavors have melded, about 8 min. Pour mixture through medium-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on chicken and onions to extract as much sauce as possible; set sauce aside. Transfer chicken mixture to large plate; freeze for 10 minutes to cool, then combine with cilantro, jalapeños, and cheese in medium bowl and set aside.
Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 300 degrees. Smear entire bottom of 13x9 baking dish with 3/4 c. of the chili sauce. Place tortillas on two baking sheets. Spray both sides lightly with cooking spray. Bake till tortillas are soft and pliable, about 4 min.
Place warm tortillas on countertop. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place 1/3 c. filling down center of each tortilla (place all filling before starting to roll). Roll each tortilla tightly by hand and place in baking dish, side by side, seam-side down, parallel to the short sides of the dish. Pour remaining sauce over top of enchiladas. Use back of spoon to spread sauce so it coats top of each tortilla. Sprinkle 3/4 c. grated cheese down center of enchiladas.
Cover baking dish with foil. Bake enchiladas on lower-middle rack at 400 degrees till heated through and cheese is melted, 20-25 minutes. Uncover and serve immediately, passing sour cream, avocado, lettuce, and lime wedges separately.
Notes:
This reheats fine for flavor although the longer it sits the more the tortillas tend to fall apart as you try to serve them. Tastes fine, but doesn't look very elegant.
It's quite a lot of fussing around, but we think it's worth the effort.