SOUR CREAM CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
This recipe looks complicated – but don’t let it intimidate you. There are three separate “segments” or phases to the prep. And cook. They can overlap to compress the prep time as you feel comfortable.
This is a Tex-Mex classic that I remember as a kid was my Mom’s favorite dish, so I have re-created it from memory and experimenting.
Throughout this recipe I have used the no-fat or low fat options where available – with no loss of cohesiveness, or taste, additionally no salt is added beyond any of what is in the below list of ingredients.
You can further reduce the fat calories by using salsa verde – rather than the sour cream sauce – or you could combine the two at a ratio to your liking – but taste as you go!
Prep time is easily one hour.
Cook time is 30 minutes @ 350F, then 15 minutes at 500F
The Yield is approx 18 enchiladas if you use the smaller diameter corn tortillas. So – a pack of at least 18 tortillas is needed. You will also need a 9’’ x 13’’ and an 8’’ x 8’’ casserole dish.
Estimate that each person will consume 4-5 enchiladas, as they are small.
Phase One: It’s all about the chicken!
2- lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
Place in an 8 to 12 qt. pot with 1 – 12 oz. Negra Modelo or similar brown beer to Negra Modelo – ( just avoid any bitter or “hoppy” beers for this recipe) and 1 – 12 oz. can vegetable broth.( I prefer 1 heaping Tbs. of Better Than Bouillon brand concentrate in 12oz. of water – but it may not matter)
5-6 drops of Liquid Smoke ( optional)
Bring to boil then reduce to simmer for 30 minutes
Remove chicken to cool. Shred chicken. Pour the broth into a separate container and save it for later. (don’t drink it – it smells incredible tho!)
Phase Two: The cilantro sauce
( good time to pre-heat the oven to 350F)
You can use a blender – but a food processor or similar will work better….
1 – 10oz. can of Ro-Tel Tomatoes
1-12oz. jar of pickled Jalepeno Slices. MILD if anyone eating is sensitive to hot foods, otherwise – HOT - but all bets are off - and scorched under-wear will abound <G>
1-Md-Lg Red Onion ( does not have to be Red – but the red is a nice color in this )
Most ( 2/3 to ¾ ) of a bunch of Cilantro.
1-Tsp of minced Garlic
1-2 dashes of ground cumin
Pulse the above ingredients until fairly uniform – but not pureed. (minced well – to very fine chop )
Phase Three:
In a stew pot ( 4-6 qt. is adequate)
1- Stick of butter melted
2- Then slowly sift in 8 Tbs of flour while whisking the melted butter. Keep the heat low. You can add more flour if need to thicken the sauce – but go slow. It takes a minute or two of whisking to know if this is needed.
3- Add 8oz of the beer broth from Phase 1 you set aside earlier
4- Add 8 to 12oz. (to taste) of sour cream and whisk until smooth then remove from heat.
5- Add 4 to 8 Tbs. of the cilantro sauce from Phase Two – to taste.
6- 1 (or more to taste) – dashes of cumin
Now - for the cook:
Lightly oil the casserole dishes. I prefer the Pam type spray products. Then, put a few paper towels on a dinner plate and put half of the tortillas needed on the plate and place another plate – upside down ( as a cover) atop the tortillas. Place in microwave for approx 15-20 seconds – to just warm the tortillas and make them a bit more pliable.
Remove the plates, and take a tortilla in one hand, and add approx. 1 TBS of shredded chicken to it, as a line down the center. Use enough chicken to have a little in every bite – but not so much as to make the tortilla hard to roll up to the approx. diameter of the circle created when you touch the tip of your index finger to your thumb, as if making the “O.K.” sign.
Now drizzle 1 Tsp of the cilantro sauce and 1 Tsp of the sour cream sauce on the chicken in the tortilla, and roll it up.
Starting at one end of the casserole dish, lay the rolled enchiladas with the lap down, so they stay rolled up. You want them shouldering each other so that they help keep the one next to them rolled up and in place.
When the dish is filled with enchiladas – ladle the sour cream sauce over them liberally. Then add jalapeño slices every ½-1’’ . Now place Mexican style fine shredded cheese on top, covering the entire dish or as you like, less or more.
Cook for 30 minutes tightly foiled @ 350F. Then remove the foil and raise the temp. to 500-550F for approx. 15 minutes to brown the cheese a bit. Just keep an eye on it so it does not get too browned on top, and thus dried out.
***VARIATIONS***
* you can substitute salsa verde for the sour cream sauce – but they will be quite different. Good – but no longer Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
*If you do not want to use beer – use chicken broth.
*For traditional Mexican enchiladas – the stuffing for the enchiladas is typically only chicken, a small amount of shredded cheese, and some minced white onion
*any left-over cilantro sauce along with a few squirts of lemon or lime juice – and an avocado makes a fine guacamole
*any leftover beer broth is just the thing to add to refried beans to loosen them up a bit – or to cook your Mexican yellow rice in.
Enjoy!
Tim Tucker
toomanywords101@yahoo.com