Beth's Favorite Chicken Enchiladas

One thing we really like in California is Mexican food.  We grow up eating it, and I can't imagine not having it...I actually crave it!

So I wanted to use my shredded chicken from my  "How to Poach Chicken" tutorial and I decided to first make my favorite Chicken Enchiladas. 

These are not the ooey gooey enchiladas....they are "healthy" enchiladas.....or at least "healthier"!

The flavors in this dish blend so well and it's super easy to make.  Give it a try, I promise you'll love it!

Here's how to make it.

You will need, shredded chicken, a can of black beans, a can of Rotel tomatoes diced with green chilies, a package of Mexican shredded cheese, some enchiladas sauce (I use Lawry's seasoning mix but you can use a can sauce if you like!  you will need tomato paste if you use the seasoning pkg.) and flour tortillas.  Note:  I'm using low carb tortillas but you can use regular...gotta keep those cabs down!

So you take the chicken, and the tomatoes, and the rinsed beans and put it in a large bowl. 

Add about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.  Mix it all together.

Next make the enchiladas sauce by mixing the seasoning pkg with tomato paste and water in a medium sauce pan and heat it up for about 5 min.  If using a canned sauce just heat that up as well.

Pour some of the sauce in a bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish, enough to cover the bottom.

Take some of the chicken mixture and put it down the center of a tortilla and roll it up, placing it seam side down in the baking dish.  Repeat with the rest of the chicken mixture and tortillas.

Pour enough enchiladas sauce over the top to cover the tortillas.  Add more if you want it saucy.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top.

Cover the baking sheet with foil and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 min.
Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to get the cheese gooey and browned a little.

OMG!  LOOK AT THIS!  HEAVEN!

Beth’s Favorite Chicken Enchiladas

Makes 8 enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded chicken (leftover from the poached chicken)
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10-oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies - Rotel
1 (8-oz.) pkg shredded Mexican four-cheese blend

8 (8-inch) low carb flour tortillas
Vegetable cooking spray
1 pkg Lawry’s Enchilada sauce seasoning mix

1 6 oz can of tomato paste

3 cups water

Directions:

Combine first 4 ingredients and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a large bowl.

To make enchilada sauce, combine seasoning mix, tomato paste, and water in a medium pan and stir to combine over medium heat for about 5 min.

Pour enough enchilada sauce in a 9x13 inch baking dish to cover the bottom.

Spoon chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla, and roll up.  Place it seam side down in the baking dish. 

Pour enchilada sauce evenly over tortillas, and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 15 more minutes.

How to Poach a Chicken

Poaching is the process of gently simmering food in liquid.  Chicken is a great item to poach, especially if you need cooked chicken for another dish you are making. 

You can poach your chicken let it cool and then shred  it, cube it, or cut in to pieces easily and then use in various recipes.

When whole chickens are on sale I often use this method instead of roasting it.  You can also poach pieces rather than a whole chicken as well.  Remember, once the chicken is cooked you can freeze portions of it to have on hand for future dishes.

Here's a step by step on how to poach a chicken.  I used a whole chicken so vary the quantity and size of things if you are poaching pieces.

Remove the chicken from the packaging and toss any inner parts away.  Wash and rinse your chicken.

Get a large enough pan or pot to cover the entire chicken.

Place the chicken on the pot along with some carrots, celery, and onion.  Whatever you have on hand will do, we just need to add some seasoning.  (no need to peel the carrot, just toss it in)Cover with water.

Bring the pot to a boil, then turn down and simmer for about 55 min for a whole chicken.  Probably about 35 minutes for pieces, breasts, thighs, etc.

Once the chicken is done pull it from the pot and let it rest on a cutting board until it is cool enough to handle.

Cut off the wings, legs and thighs, shred or cut/cube meat if you would like.  Then cut the back bone and cut off the breasts.  I shredded all the meat separating the dark meat from the white meat to use in various dishes.

It's as simple as that and this technique leaves you with endless possibilities!

How about chicken soup?

or enchiladas?

or a chicken casserole?

tacos anyone?

I'll post a recipe for my favorite chicken enchiladas tomorrow.

Stay tuned....and POACH A CHICKEN!



Croque Monsieur

I've had a week trying to get over a nasty cold and in 80 degree weather in CA it's not so fun...So sometimes a good hot sandwich just hits the spot.

This is one of my favorite sandwiches.  Like a hot ham and cheese, but kicked up a notch.  Croque Monsieur is the french version and it's mighty tasty!

Here's how to make it.

Mix a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and a tablespoon of mayo in a small bowl.

Take two slices of your favorite bread, (I used a nice Italian loaf) and spread the mustard mixture on to both slices.

Next, layer several slices of deli ham on one of the slices of bread.

Add a good amount of shredded swiss cheese on top of the ham.  (I like cheese...)

Place the other slice of bread on the cheese, mustard mixture down against the cheese.]

Beat the egg with the milk and place in a shallow dish.

Place the sandwich in the egg mixture and press down. 

Turn the mixture over and dip it in the egg mixture as well.

In a skillet heated over medium heat add the sandwich and cook on each side about 3-4 minutes until brown.

You can use a lid to cover and this will help melt the cheese.

Enjoy...yummy!

Croque Monsieur

Yield:  1 serving

Ingredients:

1 T Dijon mustard
1 T Mayonnaise
2 slices Italian bread
2-3 slices deli sliced ham
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 egg beaten
a Splash 2% milk

Directions:

Combine mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Spread over both slices of bread.  Layer ham on 1 slice of bread and top with cheese.  Top with other slice of bread mustard side down. 

Combine egg and milk in a shallow dish. Dip both sides of each sandwich into the egg mixture.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add sandwich to the skillet and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and cheese melts.  Cover with lid if necessary to melt cheese.