Weeknight Tex-Mex Chicken Enchiladas

Weeknight Tex-Mex Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken enchiladas are an easy way to use up extra or leftover chicken. A homemade sauce is well worth the effort for this tasty bake.

30 min prep 50 min total 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 chipotles in adobo
  • 3 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 2 c. chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp. corn starch
  • 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 c. shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1/3 c. to 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 4 oz. cheese
  • Fresh cilantro and sour cream

Instructions

  1. 1

    <strong>Make sauce</strong>: Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, chipotles in adobo, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring often, until dark maroon in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cumin and chili powder. Cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Transfer 1/4 cup stock mixture to a bowl and whisk in corn starch. Return slurry to pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt. Transfer mixture to a blender and process (with the plastic cap removed and a dish towel covering the opening) until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer 1/2 cup sauce to a bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat, reserve remaining sauce.

  2. 2

    <strong>Make enchiladas</strong>: Preheat oven to 375°F. Place half of reserved sauce in the bottom of an 8-by-8-inch broiler-proof baking dish. Heat 1/3 cup oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Fry tortillas, one at a time, turning once, until just starting to turn golden around the edges, about 1 minute (add more oil if necessary). Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Divide chicken mixture among tortillas and roll, placing seam side down over sauce in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce and cheese; cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake until warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove foil and switch oven to broil. Broil until cheese is golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve with cilantro and sour cream alongside.

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