Cheesey Chicken Enchiladas

"Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it." 

 Ferris Bueller

That is one of my favorite quotes from the classic 80's movie.  I love the idea that Ferris just knows that time flies by and you just need to take the time to enjoy the moment when you can. 

This week, we were supposed to have a baseball game on Tuesday and a practice on Wednesday... well, Mother Nature intervened and we have gotten some much needed rain.  You could say that we were given a bit of a reprieve so that we could enjoy sitting down to a dinner that I was able to take more time to make... so much better than throwing together whatever I can super fast or having everyone rummage for leftovers in the fridge. 

In an effort to get inspired to make some new things, I pulled out my copy of Cooking Light Way to Cook.  I picked up this book quite awhile ago, and love that it has some really gorgeous pictures that accompany the tips and tricks shared with each recipe. 

Expecting a week of dinners on the run, I had marked a recipe for Quick Chicken Enchiladas.  There were a couple of reasons for this choice. One was that the quick and easy description appealed to me for a busy weeknight and two was that we are going to be having a group of friends over for a belated Cinco de Mayo party in another week and I'm looking for some additional recipes to serve. So, this one could solve two problems with one fell swoop!

The recipe suggests using some short-cuts such as picking up pre-cut onions and green bell peppers, along with buying a rotisserie chicken.  Since I don't mind a little chopping, I had the onion and bell pepper diced in a matter of a few minutes.  I also didn't want to pick up a rotisserie chicken, I opened a can of chicken - you know the kind you use to make chicken salad - and used a fork to break it up sufficiently for this recipe.

I have to say that this is one of the few recipes that really does come together super fast - just like it promises!  I actually ended up doing a bit of the prep and then let things hang out for a bit while I did a few other things since I had more time tonight than I would have if the practice hadn't been cancelled. 

While the enchilada sauce was simmering away, I had the Spanish rice cooking (another quick cheat here, I used Knorr's seasoned rice and the kids loved it) and I let the rice simmer a little bit longer while the enchiladas were under the broiler. And a bonus was that I was able to put a good dinner on the table in a reasonable amount of time.

I've got kids who are not terribly fond of sauce and I wanted to make sure they would actually get some dinner into their growing bodies, so I didn't put the sauce on their portions.  That worked out fie and they devoured their enchiladas and would have asked for more - if there had been more!  Turns out everyone really enjoyed dinner tonight as there was not a speck left to package up and put in the fridge.  I will have to double the enchiladas next time!

I did leave mine under the broiler with the cheese a minute too long... they got a bit too dark on top, but it really didn't stop anyone from enjoying them.  If you are looking for something quick and delicious for Cinco de Mayo (this Saturday!), give this recipe a try!

When you want Mexican food, what do you crave?

Here are some more recipes you may want to add to your menu this weekend:
Shrimp Tacos with Avocado-Chimmichurri Sauce - Recipegirl
Refried Beans - Annie's Eats
Frozen Mango Margarita - Confections of a Foodie Bride
A Complete menu for Cinco de Mayo - What's Cookin' Italian Style Cuisine
Chile con Queso Dip - Brown Eyed Baker


Cheesey Chicken Enchiladas
Adapted from Cooking Light, Way to Cook

Ingredients

• 1 cup white onion, diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (10 ounce can) enchilada sauce - I used Old El Paso
• 2 cups chopped boneless, skinless chicken breast - about 1 to 1/2 large cans of chicken for chicken salad
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack and Sharp Chedder cheese (a Mexican blend would work well, too)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack and Sharp Chedder cheese
• sour cream - to serve at the table
• cooking spray

 Directions

1. Preheat the broiler.  Spray an 11x7 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil.  Add the diced onion and bell pepper.  Saute until softened - about 2-3 minutes.  Add the enchilada sauce and bring to a boil; then, cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
3. Combine the chicken, 1 cup of cheese and cumin in a medium bowl. 
4. Heat the corn tortillas, 4 at a time,  in a microwave for 30-40 seconds - cover in wet paper towels. 
5. Place about 1/4 cup of chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla and roll gently.  Place, seam side down in the prepared baking dish.  Repeat until all tortillas are filled.
6. Pour the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and broil for about 3-4 minutes - until heated thoroughly.
7. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the enchiladas and broil another 1-2 minutes - just until the cheese is melted.
8. Serve with sour cream.

Note:  The link to the cookbook shown above will take you to Amazon where you can find more information on the book or purchase it.  If you choose to purchase via this link, I will receive a small referral fee. 

  

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