So, for this week’s Doris Project post, I was gonna do a chicken ‘n ‘shroom ‘n rice thing-y; but then I got to thinking it was a bit too much like the Amarillo Beef we were still looking at leftovers in the fridge at; so I tinkered with a couple of different squibs mom had saved and came up with these very nice enchiladas.
Mom’s original enchilada recipe is tasty, too, but this version helped me use up a brick of cheese food and a jar of fire roasted peppers that had been hanging around for a while.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken Stock:
•2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
•Sweet Vermouth
•Water
•Oregano
•Parsley
•Bay leaf
•Dried shallots
•Minced garlic
•1 corn cob
Enchiladas:
•2 cups cubed cooked chicken
•1 (12 oz) jar fire roasted red peppers, drained and diced (~1 cup)
•1 sweet onion, diced (~2 cups)
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•2 tbsp butter
•2 tbsp olive oil
•1 tbsp flour
•2 cups chicken stock
•1 tsp chili powder
•1 tsp Aleppo pepper
•1/4 tsp oregano
•Hot sauce
•1 cup salsa
•1-1/2 cup Velveeta, cubed*
•6 Flour (or carb-smart) tortillas
•Shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese
•Shredded lettuce
•Diced onion
*Go ahead and use queso fresco, if you have it.
Place the chicken breast halves in a pot with the water, corn cob, a nice splash of vermouth, and seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken and set aside to cool, then cube. Discard the corn cob, then strain the stock and set aside as well. You should have about two cups of nicely flavored chicken stock.
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat, then add the onion and sauté for five minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two, then lower the heat and, stirring constantly, add the flour and cook until you have a thick, smooth paste that has turned golden brown.
Stir in about a half cup of the reserved chicken stock until smooth, then stir in another half cup or so and again, stir until smooth.
Add the remaining stock and the seasonings, then bring back to a boil and simmer for ten minutes.
Stir in the roasted red pepper and the salsa, then heat through.
Remove from heat, stir in the cheese cubes, then cover the pot and allow to rest for five or ten minutes until the cheese has melted.
Stir to blend in and add the cubed, cooked chicken meat, then heat your oven to 400º and begin assembling the enchiladas.
Spoon a tablespoon or two of the filling down the center of a tortilla, then roll tightly and arrange, seam side down, in a rectangular baking dish (mine measures 11-3/4″Wx8-3/4″Dx2-3/4″H). Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas until the pan has been filled – this pan fit six enchiladas, which was just about perfect for the amount of filling I’d made.
Spoon the remaining filling over the rolled tortillas, then top all with the shredded Cheddar and/or Jack cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until the cheese is nicely melted and the enchiladas hot and bubbling.
Serve with shredded lettuce, taco sauce, sour cream, additional cheese, and refried black beans on the side. Add any other topping(s) you like, then sit back and enjoy your enchiladas.