Name: Chicken enchiladas
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 0.5 tsp onion powder; 0.5 tsp garlic powder; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp paprika; 0.5 tsp dried oregano; 0.5 tsp chili powder; 2 tbsp avocado oil; 0.5 yellow onion (diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 385 g cooked chicken (about 2 3/4 cups, shredded; rotisserie works well); 425 g canned black beans (one 15 oz can, drained and rinsed); 113 g canned diced green chiles (one 4 oz can, undrained); 2 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed); 1 tsp honey; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (finely chopped); 1 tsp fine sea salt (or to taste); 425 g red enchilada sauce (one 15 oz can, divided); 8 flour tortillas (8 in / 20 cm); 340 g shredded Mexican-blend cheese (3 cups, divided); 120 g sour cream (1/2 cup); 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped)

Chicken enchiladas

Prep 30 min Cook 30 min Total 1 hr Servings 4

About this recipe

Shredded chicken and black beans rolled in flour tortillas under red enchilada sauce and melted cheese, baked until the edges bubble and the top blisters.

Method

01

Heat the oven to 175C (350F) with a rack in the middle. Stir 1/2 tsp each of onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, dried oregano, and chili powder together in a small bowl, and have everything else measured before you start. The filling comes together fast once the pan is hot.
02

Heat 2 tbsp avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced half onion and cook about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent but not browned.
03

Lower the heat, add 80 ml of the enchilada sauce and 3 minced garlic cloves, and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
04

Add 385 g shredded chicken and season with 1 tsp fine sea salt. Sprinkle the seasoning blend over the top and stir until the chicken is evenly coated.
05

Stir in 425 g drained black beans, the whole 113 g can of green chiles with its liquid, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp honey, and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro. Warm through, then taste and adjust the salt. The honey is not there to sweeten the filling, it balances the acid from the lime and the canned sauce.
06

Lightly grease a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) baking dish and spread about 60 ml of the enchilada sauce across the bottom in a thin layer.
07

Wrap the 8 tortillas in a damp towel and microwave about 30 seconds, until pliable. Cold tortillas split down the seam as you roll them.
08

Spoon filling along the lower third of each tortilla, add a small handful of the cheese, roll tightly, and lay them seam-side down in the dish so they hold their shape.
09

Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas, making sure the ends and edges are covered, then scatter the rest of the 340 g cheese over the top. Any tortilla left exposed will dry out and go leathery.
10

Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes. Uncover and bake a further 13 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the cheese is fully melted.
11

For a browned, blistered top, broil on low for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch it the whole time, as it goes from golden to burnt in seconds.
12

Rest 5 minutes before serving so the enchiladas lift out intact instead of collapsing. Serve with 120 g sour cream and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro.

Notes & swaps

This is Kassondra Peters' recipe, and it is a regular in our kitchen.

Makes 8 enchiladas, served as 2 per person. Cilantro-lime rice or a shredded cabbage slaw rounds out the plate.

Warm the tortillas before rolling. Thirty seconds in the microwave under a damp towel, or a few seconds each in a dry pan, is the difference between a tight roll and a split one.

Cover every bit of tortilla with sauce. Exposed edges dry out and turn tough in the oven.

The honey balances acid rather than sweetening. Leave it in even if it reads oddly on the list.

Make ahead: assemble the dish up to the point of baking, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the covered bake time when it goes in cold.

Storage: refrigerate leftovers covered for 3 to 4 days and reheat at 165C (325F) covered with foil for about 20 minutes. This one also freezes well unbaked.

For more heat, add a fresh diced jalapeno with the seeds in, or use a hot red enchilada sauce in place of mild.

Corn tortillas can replace the flour ones, but warm them in oil first and expect to fit less filling in each.

No rotisserie chicken? Poach 2 boneless breasts in seasoned water for 15 to 18 minutes, then shred with two forks.

For a vegetarian version, leave out the chicken and double the beans, or add a can of pinto alongside the black beans.

Chicken enchiladas

Ingredients

Method

Notes & swaps

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