Creamy Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas
Being born and raised in the south, I was ingrained from a young age that, for every life event, we need some kind of food to go with it. We take food for every occasion: you rarely even visit someone without bringing along something to share. Although I no longer take it to that extreme, I still like to provide a meal for a family when there is a new baby. I know from much experience that coming home with a new baby takes time to adjust, and not having to meal-plan and cook dinner every night is a big relief. With the birth of “Baby Flash,” Lydia (aka Cluttered Genius) needs some fill-in blog posts, and since I am too far away to provide an actual meal, I am making this virtual meal for her:
Today, I am preparing Creamy Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas with a salad and Ro-tel Cheese dip. I have been making these enchiladas for years and years, and the recipe has developed and changed so much that I have no idea where it originally came from. It is not your traditional red sauce enchiladas, and it works well with shrimp, too. My seasonings are approximate as I always season to taste.
Creamy Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients:
2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, Diced
12 Flour Tortillas, Taco or Fajita sized
2 Tblsp Butter
2 Tblsp Flour
2 Cups Milk
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Tblsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tblsp Fajita Seasoning
2 Tsp Ground Chipotle Pepper
1 Tsp Salt (to taste)
1 Tsp Pepper (to taste)
2 Cups shredded Mexican Cheese
1 Can Ro-tel Diced Tomatoes & Chilies (Mild or Spicy version, at your preference)
- First, cut and brown the chicken in a deep sided skillet, seasoning to taste with the fajita seasoning. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt butter and add flour to create a Roux with the remaining seasoning. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add milk and stir well to remove lumps. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and add sour cream, paprika, chipotle powder, salt & pepper to your taste preference. Cook for 4-5 minutes till thickened. Remove from heat.
- Assemble all ingredients (tortillas, chicken, sauce, cheese & Ro-tel) so they are handy for easy filling and rolling.
- Spray casserole dish for baking lightly with nonstick spray or oil. Cover bottom of pan with cream sauce.
- Take each tortilla and fill with spoon full of cream sauce, chicken, sprinkle of cheese and Ro-tel. Roll and place into pan, seam side down. Repeat until all tortillas are rolled. Top with remaining cream mixture and shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes @ 350 degrees.
Unless I know the family receiving this meal will be eating right away, I will often take the casserole partially pre-baked with baking instructions to finish it. Sometimes receiving food can be overwhelming. This gives the receiver more flexibility. When taking a meal, I always want to include sides and round out the meal as well. The salad is a simple tossed salad with tomatoes and cucumber. The cheese dip is one I have made since I was a child. Many people use salsa or other brands of tomatoes/peppers. This is the one I have always made and prefer.
Ro-tel Cheese Dip
1/2 block of Velveeta Cheese (approx 1lb), Cubed
1 can of Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Chilies, with some/most of the liquid removed (save it to add back, if the dip is too thick)
Microwave for approx 5 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes.
Serve with Tortilla Chips or Fritos
If you find yourself the one organizing meals for any life event, there is a great website for planning meals to take to a family. Check out Meal Train.com. It is free and very easy to setup and send out via email or share on Facebook. It even has a place to note allergies or food aversions. I have used it numerous times for school, church and my moms group with great success.
Welcome Baby Flash! Wish I could come to visit and bring this meal in person. Thank you Cluttered Genius for the opportunity to share it with you and your readers.
Dee is a mother of three, and one of my Sistas from Mamavation. She blogs over at http://x-tige.com/designers/preciously-paris-naked-heart-foundation-colette-paris/.git/HEAD Lumpy to Lean about her journey to leave obesity behind. Be sure to check her out and show her the love!
