Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas



My husband LOVES these enchiladas. He could probably eat the whole pan by himself! I am proud of myself because I read quite a few different recipes and picked and chose what things I liked about them to make these my own. I have made them quite a few times over the last few years for family and friends and they are always well received! It is easy to make more filling if you need to feed a lot of people. This is a Sara original... get excited!


You will need:

1 large (or 2 small) chicken breasts (or leftover pre-cooked chicken)

1 small can green chiles

1 small can sliced olives, drained

1/2 medium onion

4 oz (one half cube) cream cheese or lower fat version, softened

salsa (no exact measurement for this, maybe about 1 cup)

cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper to taste (maybe 1/2 tsp of each, less cayenne if you don't want it too spicy)

LOTS of cheddar cheese! If you are using pre-shredded I would have two bags to be safe. You can also get Mexican cheese mixtures, I have used both.

6-8 soft taco sized tortillas

1 or 2 10 oz cans enchilada sauce, depending on how wet you want them (or homemade enchilada sauce if you are feeling adventurous)


Directions:


I cook the chicken first. If I'm planning ahead, I cut up the chicken breasts into a couple pieces so they cook faster, and toss them in my crock pot with a little broth and some cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. This adds some nice extra flavor! Cook on high for about three hours, or until the chicken shreds easily. You could also use leftover grilled chicken. (If you go this route, add the chicken and juices to the pan AFTER the onion is cooked.)

Otherwise, I cut up the raw chicken into fairly small pieces and saute it in a pan with a little oil until cooked through.

Add in the onion and cook until it is translucent. Add in the chiles, and olives, and some salsa, probably about a cup. I eyeball it at this point until it is the consistency I want. Add in the cream cheese and stir it until it melts. Add more salsa if needed. Add the spices and stir it all up, letting it cook together for a few minutes.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Take one tortilla at a time and fill the center with some chicken mixture and sprinkle cheese over it. Roll it up and place it in the baking dish. Repeat until the dish is full! you may end with with some extra, I usually get 6 or 7 in the dish. Sometimes I have to put two in my glass bread loaf dish as well. Pour enchilada sauce over filled tortillas. Cover with cheese!



Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes (or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.)




Serve with rice, salsa, sour cream and chopped green onions if you wish!

Enjoy! :D

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