TODAY Food Club

We eat them rolled. We eat them stacked. They're filled with stuff and that's a fact. No, that isn't Dr. Seuss talking. That's just me describing one of our very favorite Southwestern treasures, the enchilada. In 1949 a magazine called American Food and Drink described enchiladas as a Mexican dish prepared more for tourists than for locals. Sorry folks, that was then and this is now. Today, enchiladas are enjoyed both north and south of the border and in many different ways. They're often filled with pork, chicken, beef, cheese, shrimp, crab or even vegetables. The traditional sauces are made with either a spicy red chile sauce, a tomatillo sauce or the Tex-Mex brown gravy chili sauce combination. Then, just garnish for greatness! If you want to take your enchilada casserole to the next yummy level, give these homemade corn tortillas a try!

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 whole green chiles, canned or fresh roasted, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 cooked rotisserie chicken, skin removed and shredded
• 1 ½ teaspoons cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 ¾ cup enchilada sauce, divided
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 14 corn tortillas (6-inch)
• 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• For Garnish: chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, chopped green onions and sour cream
• 1 cup corn meal (for homemade corn tortillas)
• 1 cup flour (for homemade corn tortillas)
• 1 egg (for homemade corn tortillas)
• 2 cups water (for homemade corn tortillas)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (for homemade corn tortillas)

Preparation

1. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil.
2. Saute onion and garlic until soft and golden brown.
3. Add green chiles, shredded chicken, cumin and garlic. Stir to combine.
4. Add crushed tomatoes and ¼ cup enchilada sauce.
5. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Set aside and make tortillas. (See below)
8. In a bowl, whisk together combine corn meal, flour, egg, water and salt. (Batter should be consistency of thin pancake batter. Add more water if needed.)
9. Heat In a small cast iron skillet or crepe pan coated with oil to medium high.
10. With a ladle or measuring cup, pour a thin layer of batter in pan to make a 6 inch tortilla.
11. When tortilla forms bubbles, flip and cook for about 30 seconds.
12. Put on plate and cover with towel to keep warm.
13. Repeat until batter is used up.
14. Heat enchilada sauce to warm.
15. Assemble casserole.
16. In a 9x13 inch baking pan, pour about ½ cup of warm enchilada sauce on bottom of pan.
17. Dip each corn tortilla into warm enchilada sauce to coat on both sides.
18. Place approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of enchilada filling on tortilla and roll up.
19. Place enchilada seam side down in pan.
20. Repeat until pan is full.
21. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled up tortillas.
22. Sprinkle with cheese.
23. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.
24. When done, top with chopped tomatoes, cilantro, green onion and dollops of sour cream.

Recipe Tags

• Comfort Food
• Southwestern
• Entree