Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Somer Canon — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 03:39:39 +0000

My high school Spanish teacher gave me the recipe for this cheesy and creamy dish. I like to make it both for only my husband and myself or for company. If I make it for company, I am always asked for the recipe…it’s just that good. This is not a dish that you would make on a busy week night, but don’t let that deter you. It’s not difficult to make at all, it just has several steps. They are all worth it. You will need:

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped green pepper

2 Tblsp. butter

2 cups cooked chicken

1 4-oz. can green chili peppers, rinsed, seeded and chopped

3 Tblsp. butter

¼ cup AP flour

1 tsp. ground coriander

¾ tsp. salt

2-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup dairy sour cream

1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (6 oz.)

12 6-inch tortillas

In a large saucepan cook onion and green pepper in the 2 Tblsp. butter until tender. Combine the onion mixture in a bowl with the chopped chicken and green chili peppers; set aside.

*HINT* I cook the chicken by boiling it and using the cooking liquid as the broth. Use some chicken stock and a little water to cook your chicken for more richness and lots of flavor.

For the sauce, in the same saucepan, melt 3 Tblsp. butter. Stir in the flour, coriander, and salt. Stir in the chicken broth all at once; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes more.

This is what the butter and flour should look like when it is ready for the addition of the chicken broth.

Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and ½ cup of the cheese. Stir ½ cup of the sauce into the chicken mixture.

Dip each tortilla into the remaining sauce to soften; fill each with about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture. Roll up. Arrange rolls in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish; pour remaining sauce over. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for about 25 minutes or until bubbly. YIELD: 6 servings.

I use a bit more cheese than what the recipe calls for. I buy a 1 pound brick of Monterey Jack and shred it all and use it all, so my version of this dish is cheesy to the extreme. I’d have it no other way. It’s not the prettiest dish, I’ll grant you that. But that doesn’t matter…not in this case.

Cinco de Mayo is coming up and this (and a pitcher of margaritas) is a great dinner! Enjoy, everybody!

Smell My Plate » chicken enchilada

Chicken Enchilada Casserole