Homemade chicken and cheese enchiladas

Homemade chicken and cheese enchiladas

Ingredients

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced jalapeno
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
2 cups chicken stock/broth
1/2 cup sour cream
8 soft taco flour tortillas
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Cheddar, Mexican blend)
1/8 cup torn fresh cilantro, optional for garnish

Instructions

Butter or spray a 9 by a 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat butter in a large saucepan or skillet, over medium heat; add the chopped onion and jalapeno; saute just until tender. Add flour; cook for 3 minutes.
Add chili powder and cook for an additional minute; begin whisking in chicken broth a little at a time until fully incorporated. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasonings; set aside until slightly cooled. Whisk in the sour cream, blending well. Mix shredded chicken with 1/2 cup of the cheese. Remove 1/3 cup of the sour cream mixture and add to chicken.
Divide chicken into a total of 8 equal portions and removing a portion of the mixture at a time, spread it along the edge of a tortilla. Carefully roll the tortilla over the filling and continue rolling it up, placing it into the prepared pan, seam side down. Repeat until the pan is filled.
Spread the remaining sour cream mixture all over the rolled tortillas. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes or until hot. Remove and uncover, sprinkle the top evenly with the remaining shredded cheese and return to the oven uncovered for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Garnish with cilantro and serve with a mixed garden salad, steamed broccoli or green beans. Double or triple for pot luck.
Cook’s Notes: If you use fresh, raw jalapeno, using gloves, remove ribs, seeds, chop and add that in with the onion. I keep pickled jalapenos in the fridge so I use those most often. May also substitute green chilies or bell pepper for jalapeno and use a milder cheese to reduce the heat level. May also substitute an equal amount of canned or rotisserie chicken.
To Poach Chicken: Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil; add 2 teaspoons salt and drop in 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, bringing the water back up to a boil. Boil the chicken for about 2 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from heat, drain and set aside to cool. Once cool, shred. If you are using larger pieces of chicken, either cut them up prior to boiling or increase the boiling time as needed, but do not overcook.
Shortcut: Substitute a can of condensed cream of chicken soup for the white sauce.
Seafood Enchiladas: Prepare sauce as above, substituting Old Bay seasoning for the chili powder; reserve 1/3 cup of the sauce. Substitute 1/2 pound cooked and roughly chopped shrimp with 1/2 pound crabmeat for the chicken, and mix with the reserved sauce and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Fill and roll enchiladas and finish as above.