Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Jalapenos

An easy recipe for killer Chicken Enchiladas. Makes a great use out of leftover Thanksgiving turkey, too!

I’ve been on such a Thanksgiving recipe-train these past few weeks that I just had to stop, take a deep breath, and toss some spicy Chicken Enchiladas into the mix. I don’t know about you but I always seem to crave something spicy after a big holiday meal…so I also roasted up some jalapenos and tossed them in, too. And, since you can easily swap the chicken for leftover turkey, I believe this still qualifies as a holiday dish!

Not to mention we needed something healthy around here after all the pies and other goodies in my kitchen right now. Chicken Enchiladas may not seem that healthy but if you keep the amount of cheese in check they’re really quite good for you. Tortillas have enriched grains and count as a serving from the grains group and, if you use whole-wheat tortillas, you can up your fiber intake, too. I’m no dietician and I lay no claim to be one, I just know what I love feeding my own family and that we love these Chicken Enchiladas! I use grains in a lot of my holiday dishes, such as the Wild Mushroom & Parmesan Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe I posted yesterday or this Turkey Tetrazzini, another Thanksgiving recipe using leftover turkey. I partnered with the Grains Foods Foundation to create this recipe and you can find some great information on their website, Grains for your Brain (love that name)!

I do fry the tortillas in a tiny amount of vegetable oil to crisp them up before assembling which helps prevent them from getting soggy while baking. You can certainly skip this step if you’d prefer. You don’t even have to roast the jalapenos but they really are sooo good (and they make a nice presentation, too). Heck, you can even skip rolling the filling into the tortillas and simply layer it all in your baking dish if you really want to keep things simple. Just don’t skip the tortillas!

Coming tomorrow…Sweet Corn Cake! If you’ve never tried it, you’re gonna love it.

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Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Jalapenos

Yield: 0

You can also use leftover turkey or chicken in this recipe. Simply simmer the sauce for the same times as instructed, leaving the chicken breasts out of the sauce. These are also not "wet" enchiladas; if you prefer more sauce, I suggest adding more salsa either into the sauce or on the side.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 10- ounce can enchilada sauce
• 1 16- ounce jar of your favorite high-quality roasted red salsa
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• vegetable oil, for lightly frying tortillas
• 8 flour tortillas, soft taco size
• 2 cups shredded mexican-blend cheese
• 6-8 jalapenos
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 avocado, diced
• sour cream

Instructions

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, then add onions and poblano pepper. Saute until onions are soft and translucent, about five minutes. Add chipotle chile powder and oregano, saute another minute more. Add enchilada sauce and salsa, stir well. Nestle chicken breasts into sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, flipping chicken once during cooking process (about 20 minutes or so).
2. Meanwhile, heat another skillet over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil to pan and fry each tortilla lightly on each side. Cool separately on a paper towel or wire rack. (This helps prevent the tortillas from getting too soggy during cooking).
3. Place jalapenos on a baking sheet and toss with remaining olive oil. Broil until lightly charred and soft, about 6-8 minutes, turning once. Remove jalapenos and set oven to 350F.
4. Remove chicken from sauce and shred. Add 2 cups sauce and 1/2 cup shredded cheese to chicken and gently mix. Divide chicken mixture among tortillas, rolling each one tightly and place in a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas, taking care to spread to outer edges. Top with remaining cheese.
5. Bake enchiladas for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbling and cheese is melted and lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5-10 minutes. Top with diced avocado, chopped cilantro, sour cream and roasted jalapenos.

I partnered with the Grain Foods Foundation by way of Collectively to bring you this post and recipe. I only team up with brands that I love and whose products I do or would personally use.

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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