Creamy Chicken and Green Chili Enchiladas

Enchiladas are an ideal dish to make in advance and heat just before dinner time. I think they taste even better after the chicken, cheese, chilies, and cilantro have some time to meld together.

Tonight's dinner of Creamy Chicken and Green Chili Enchiladas was so well received that I had a hard time keeping two of The Kids away before getting a photo taken of the meal.

The recipe includes a couple time-saving tips. The sauce utilizes a jarred salsa verde. These are two of my favorites:
If you like your enchiladas a little less spicy, try the Trader Joe's brand. If you are more adventurous, the Goya Salsa Verde is the one you want. There are many other brands of salsa verde on the market and you may want to experiment to find the one you like the best. Also, you can pick up a whole already cooked rotisserie chicken (like the ones at the grocery store, Costco, or Sam's) instead of roasting the chicken yourself. All you will need to do is shred the chicken.

"Are you done taking pictures of this yet? I would like to eat my enchilada," my Middle One said as she patiently waited to eat. "Can I eat it now? How about now? I think you have enough photos to choose from."

"These are really good. I mean really good," commented The Husband.

I would recommend making enchiladas to have on hand during the busy holidays. Roast and shred the chicken and combine with about 1 cup of the creamy green chili sauce. Keep this mixture in the refrigerator along with tortillas and shredded cheddar cheese and enchiladas are only 20 minutes away.

Creamy Chicken and Green Chili Enchiladas

makes 12 enchiladas - serves 6

4 bone-in chicken breasts or purchased already cooked rotisserie chicken
olive oil
salt
pepper
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/3 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup salsa verde (I recommend Trader Joe's or Goya brands)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
12 6-inch flour tortillas
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place chicken on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for about 40 - 50 minutes or until the internal temperature is about 170 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan to medium high and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the onions. Saute for 8 - 10 minutes or until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cumin and saute for an additional minute. Stir in the flour until blended and cook for a minute. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 - 4 minutes or until thickened. Add the salsa verde, sour cream, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season the creamy green chili sauce with salt and pepper. Add about 1 cup of the creamy green chili sauce to the shredded chicken and stir to combine.

To assemble enchiladas get a large baking dish. Dip a tortilla into the creamy green chili sauce and put it on a cutting board. Put a big scoop of the chicken mixture in the center, sprinkle with a little of the cheese, and roll up the tortilla to enclose the filling. Place the enchilada in the baking dish. Continue to fill all of the tortillas and put them in the baking dish. Pour the remaining creamy green chili sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for about 20 - 25 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Serve hot with sour cream.