MADDIE DAY here, with a fun and easy dinner.
I'm a native southern Californian and grew up eating various kinds of (Americanized) Mexican food. For me, tamales and enchiladas are comfort food. All that delicious starchy cornmeal! But enchiladas can be fussy to make, rolling each one.
When I was in grad school, a good friend was from New Mexico. Katherine threw a Southwestern brunch and made individual stacks of tortillas, beans, cheese, and sauce with a fried egg on top. Fabulous.
Now when I want a big pan full of enchiladas, I stack away. It all ends up in your stomach anyway!
Stacked Chicken Enchiladas
Note: These aren't spicy at all. Use a hotter enchilada sauce or add some chopped jalapeno peppers if you like it hot. If you are vegetarian, omit the chicken and add the spices to the beans.
Serves six.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
Ingredients:
1
pound boneless chicken thighs
1
tablespoon lime juice, fresh or bottled
1
teaspoon cumin
1
teaspoon chili powder
Salt
and black pepper
1
tablespoon olive oil
1 green
bell pepper, diced
½ cup cilantro (omit if you dislike it)
1 cup
shredded jalapeno Monterey jack cheese
3 10-oz
cans enchilada sauce
18
corn tortillas
1 can
fat-free refried beans
1
avocado, sliced
Sour cream
Directions:
Slice the chicken into strips. Season with lime juice, salt, pepper, and cumin, and chili powder. Cover and let sit for thirty minutes.
Heat
skillet to medium high. Add oil, then saute chicken quickly until cooked. Cut
into bite-sized pieces or let cool and shred.
Mix together refried beans, bell pepper, and cooked chicken. Add cilantro if you like it. (I didn't have any in the house or I would have used it.)
Oil a 9” x 13” baking dish and coat the bottom with enchilada sauce.
Lay a
tortilla in the dish. Spread the mixture on top, then sprinkle with cheese.
Repeat for two more tortillas, overlapping slightly. Cover with enchilada
sauce.
Repeat for more layers, staggering the overlap.
Finish with a layer of tortillas, the rest
of the sauce, and a layer of cheese.
Bake for 30
minutes. Remove the foil and bake for ten more. Top each portion with avocado
slices and a dollop of sour cream to serve.
Readers: Do you like to make or eat Mexican food? What's your favorite dish? I'll send one commenter a copy of Nacho Average Murder!
The next book out in late March will be the wide release of Murder at the Taffy Shop, the second Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery - up for preorder now!
Many of my growing up years were in CA. Being a military brat, I lived on base around many different cultures. Mom loved to cook and was always learning dishes from neighbors - some Italian, some German, some Mexican and some Japanese or Korean. It really expanded her menus and I'm very thankful to have been introduced to less than American foods. Funny how so many of them are so engrained now that folks think of them as originating here.
ReplyDeleteFondly remember the homemade tamales and first time I ate tacos. My favorite is the enchiladas. I've made two separate dishes of them for years. Where the Mexican neighbor taught Mom about those made for adults and those for kids (which is what we ate), now I made a dish for hubby, who likes things so hot that habanero and ghost peppers are a stable in this household, and a much milder but still hot dish for me. As I'm now blessed to be a senior citizen, which means I'm either getting lazy or slow - can't tell which, I started making stacked enchiladas about a year ago. Same taste and a lot less work. I've not made chicken enchiladas though and can't wait for the opportunity to try your recipe for Stacked Chicken Enchiladas. I see it being made pretty soon too.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Two versions of hot - smart woman!
DeleteThat looks so good! I love mexican food. My favorite to make for my family is chicken enchiladas. My husband enjoys making tamales! Thanks for the chance! Love your books!
ReplyDeletejarjm1980(at)hotmail(dot)com
I would die for some fresh tamales!
DeleteOoh, I have most of these ingredients and can probably make a few substitutions. This seems like a great weekend dish, and a great way for me to use up the open pack of tortillas in my fridge.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy, MIa!
DeleteAnd it's a great way to use of stale corn tortillas (which go stale quickly, kinda like baguettes).
DeleteLooks yummy. There isn't a Mexican food we don't love and that I don't like to cook. The other day I made a very similar dish in my Ninja 4-in-1 but the white corn tortillas became very soft and almost incorporated into the sauce. Delicious, and the leftovers have been used now as a dip and as burrito filling.
ReplyDeletesallycootie(at)gmail(dot)com
Yum, Sally!
DeleteI'm going to have to try this recipe. I like going to Lupe Tortilla and getting their soft chicken tacos. They're like enchiladas. At home the only Mexican dish I can make or have tired to make is Chicken Tortilla Soup.
ReplyDeletekvmatlock(at)gmail(dot)com
I must make some tortilla soup soon.
DeleteGreat solution. Like enchilada lasagna!
ReplyDeletelibbydodd at comcast dot net
Exactly!
DeleteYum. I love mexican food, especially quesadillas.
ReplyDeletewskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com
I love all things Mexican (including Tex-Mex, and Mexicali) and we have a plethora of great foods here, for when we don't want to cook it ourselves! Love homemade tamales like my sister-in-law's mother used to make every Christmas, and I like to order Chile Rellenos or enchiladas when we used to eat out.I usually fix Mexican at least once a week, if not more often. We're lucky to have food trucks and taquieras nearby. When we visit Dallas, or Austin, where we used to live, there are still some great restaurants that serve authentic food from different parts of Mexico, like Vera Cruz, Oaxaca, etc. The only thing I'm not crazy about is too much cilantro (I sub flat leaf parsley, esp. for hubby) and menudo, ick! Oh, I love watching Pati Jinich on TV (PBS & Create TV) and follow her on Pinterest. I often make my friend Carol's Chile Rellenos casserole, Mom's Happy Bear Casserole and so many other shortcuts to get the same flavor.So, yep, we are huge fans of Mexican food, and your stacked enchiladas sound delish! Thanks for the idea, Edith! lola777_22 at hotmail dot com
ReplyDeleteMy mom (yes, also a SoCal girl) made these a lot when I was growing up, but she'd do a mix of half canned enchilada sauce and half gravy--yum!
ReplyDeleteI adore cooking and eating all sorts of Mexican food. I especially like guacamole, refried beans, carne asada, beef fajitas, enchiladas and nachos! You recipe sounds delicious. I'll give it a try!
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Mexican is one of my favorites, especially from an authentic Mexican restaurant. My favorite is a steak burrito.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
I love Mexican food! Yum! I'm not sure I can pick just one favorite though. When we order at our favorite local Mexican restaurant I always get the same thing, a steak quesadilla with rice, beans, guacamole, chips & salsa. But I love a good thrown together layered Mexican casserole at home, so easy and so tasty!
ReplyDeleteI love Mexican food. We have an awesome restaurant near us that serves great burritos!! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYup love mexican food. I enjoy Burritos. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom
ReplyDeleteMexican food is high on my list of favorites. Reading your intro makes me hungry for huevos ranchero! (That may be tonight’s supper)! Thank you for the give-away and recipe. madamhawk at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteYou are our lucky winner! Please check your email.
DeleteI eat a lot of burritos, quesadillas and tacos. I also like enchiladas.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com
I love Mexican food and we often make enchiladas. My kids love them and this recipe looks great.
ReplyDeleteI love Mexican food! I usually only make tacos at home, but get it at restaurants regularly. JL_Minter(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteMadamhawk is our lucky winner! Thanks to all who commented. Madam, please check your email - and congratulations.
ReplyDelete