Chicken Enchiladas

These are so good!!! We made this recipe for company, when having company over was allowed. I am already dreaming of the next time I can make them as there was so much flavour. The best part about this recipe is that you can make the red enchilada sauce and chicken a head of time or make it to eat right away. We were having company over this night and I knew I wouldn't want the house to be messy or to feel like I was busy running around trying to get dinner ready while they were over. This recipe meant I could have the chicken, sauce and tortillas made and ready to be rolled up into the enchiladas and then baked in the oven in time for dinner. I also had time to clean the kitchen before they came and I got to enjoy the time we had with them. We also served Mexican Rice as a side to go along with the enchiladas, and our company brought a delicious bean salad!

We all look forward to the day when we can all get together with family and friends again and this day will come! It is important to stay positive as it is really easy to get over paranoid and upset about even the littlest of things. Everyone is going through this Pandemic and everyone will cope in their own way and that is why it is important not to judge people on how they cope but also offer support when needed. (that's the end of that rant lol)

Now back to the recipe...

Mix the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, onion and garlic powder together in a pot and bring to a simmer. Once simmering add the chicken breasts and let it simmer for approximately 30 minutes.While the chicken was simmering in the mixture I made the red sauce. Its super easy to make and really does have a lot of flavour to it. Like I stated, I made the sauce and chicken a head of time so that I could clean my kitchen before out company came over.

Once it was time to assemble, I got all the ingredients out and put them together. Placing cheese, chicken and then sauce into the homemade tortillas (that I had also already made a head of time). Rolling them up and then placing them into the baking dish that also has a layer of sauce on the bottom. 

You can also spread any left over red sauce on top before adding the shredded cheese. I didn't have any left over as I also had a separate dish of lactose free enchiladas as one guest is sans lactose.

Ingredients:

2 whole chicken breasts

2 cups chicken broth

1 540 mL can diced tomatoes with chilies

1 tsp garlic powder

1 medium onion

homemade red enchilada sauce

12 homemade tortillas or 12 store bought tortillas

3 cups shredded cheese (I used the cracker barrel Tex Mex cheese)

Homemade red enchilada sauce:

2 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp Chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cayene pepper

2 cups chicken broth

Direction:

1. Place the diced onion, chicken broth, diced tomatoes garlic powder and chicken breasts in a large sauce pan and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until chicken is tender enough to shred. 

2. While the mixture is simmering you can make the red enchilada sauce. Place flour and oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk and cook the mixture until it boils and then cook for another minute or two after that. Whisk in the seasoning and chicken broth until well blended. Reduce heat to low and whisk for approximately 10 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened. 

3. Let the mixture cool and remove chicken breasts from the mixture. Shred chicken breasts and discard the rest of the mixture. 

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

5. Spread some enchilada sauce onto the bottom of your baking dish. Next add cheese, chicken and some enchilada sauce to each tortilla and roll up before placing into the baking dish. If you have left over sauce you can also spread some sauce on top of the enchiladas before adding the cheese on top as well. 

6. Sprinkle the top with cheese and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.