Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

 

CREAMY GREEN CHILE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

YIELD:  6 SERVINGS

 

PREP TIME:  25 MINUTES

 

COOK TIME:  35 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME:  1 HOUR

INGREDIENTS

FILLING:

•  3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (a rotisserie chicken works great here or this simple method for quick, cooked shredded chicken)
•  2 cans (4-ounces each) green chiles, lightly drained (see note)
•  1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, light or 
• regular, softened and cubed
•  1 can (15-ounces) white or black beans, rinsed and drained (you can really use any type of bean you prefer here or leave them out)
•  1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
•  1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

SAUCE:

•  2 tablespoons butter
•  1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
•  2 tablespoons flour
•  1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
•  1/4 cup milk
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup (8 ounces) green chile enchilada sauce (or salsa verde) - homemade version here
•  1/2 cup sour cream, light or regular

ASSEMBLY:

•  8 ounces (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
•  8 medium (soft taco size) flour or corn tortillas
•  Handful of chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

• INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken, beans, cilantro and lime juice. Mix to combine. Set aside.
  3. For the sauce: in a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.
  4. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce in a thin layer on the bottom of the dish. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas.
  5. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I get about 8 enchiladas for this recipe; the exact number will depend on the size of tortillas).
  6. Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas and spread evenly. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

  NOTES

  Green Chiles: you can sub out the green chiles completely and use storebought or homemade green enchilada sauce or salsa verde. Use about 2/3 to 3/4 cup of sauce in place of the green chiles in the filling. 

  Sauce: I wouldn't classify these enchiladas as being overly saucy (because I'm ethically opposed to soggy tortillas); if you like things on the saucier side, consider doubling the sauce. 

  Make Ahead: follow the recipe instructions, letting the sauce cool to warm room temperature before proceeding with filling the enchiladas. Assemble the enchiladas as directed in the recipe with the cooled sauce. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-12 hours before baking. Bake according to the recipe, adding an additional 5-10 minutes if needed since the enchiladas were refrigerated. Alternately, after assembling, the baking pan can be covered with a double layer of foil and put in a jumbo-sized resealable bag and frozen for up to two months. Bake from frozen by decreasing the baking temperature to 350 degrees F and baking the enchiladas covered for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour until the dish is hot and bubbly.

  
  

  Photo and recipe source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Grilled BBQ Chicken

 I think the main problem I have always had with BBQ chicken is it tends to be really dry chicken with some BBQ sauce smothered on top.  I don't know, I just have never been a big fan of it…..until my husband found this recipe.  You brine the chicken before cooking it and it comes out very moist and delicious.  I will add we leave out the cayenne pepper to the brine because we have little ones eating it.  Maybe we should add it in next time to experiment.  A big thanks to 101 Cooking for Two for the recipe we have referred back to several times!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Skinless boneless chicken breasts.
• 
  
• (Mels note: We doubled the recipe below for 4 lbs of chicken….it seems like a lot of brine for just two chicken breasts)

Brine

• 3 cups cold water
• 3 T table salt
• 3 T brown sugar
• 1 t cayenne pepper
• 2T BBQ sauce of choice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Trim skinless boneless chicken breast of any trimable fat.Poke with a knife to make about 15-20 holes in each breast.
2. Mix brine of 3 cups water, 3 T table salt, 3 T brown sugar and 1 t cayenne pepper. Add chicken and submerge and allow to set at room temp for 15 minutes while grill is preheating on high.
3. Remove chicken from brine and rinse lightly under running water.Pat dry.Brush lightly with BBQ sauce of your choice.
4. Clean and oil grates. Place over high heat or medium high if you have a hot grill.
5. Flip about every 5 minutes. About 3-4 minutes before done, brush both sides with sauce. Remove from grill at temp of 165. About 30 minutes total grill time.

Picture and Recipe Source: 101 Cooking For Two

Shoyu Chicken

Since I live in Hawaii, I figure I better learn how to make a little local food every once in awhile.  This chicken is a staple here.  Its great because this chicken recipe does not need to be marinated ahead of time from what I hear, but I did, just to be on the safe side.  :)  Many people boil the chicken in the sauce for 30-45 minutes, turning every once in awhile.  I baked the chicken in the oven with the directions below:

Ingredients:

1 5lb box chicken thighs, thawed

1 C shoyu (soy sauce)

1 C sugar

5 cloves garlic

3 half inch chunks ginger (I used dried)

Mix the shoyu and sugar. Add the garlic and chunks of ginger together in a bowl.  Stir it until the sugar dissolves. Mush the ginger and the garlic cloves with the back of a table knife so that the flavor can comes out of them, before you add them to the sauce. 

Put the chicken thighs (defrosted) in a pan that is deep enough that the juices won't boil over the side, and bake the chicken at 350 degrees, covered, for about 1 hour. Check the chicken to see if it is done - it should be just done. Do not over cook the chicken or it will be tough. If the chicken needs a little more time put it back in the oven and check it again in 15 minutes. The chicken should have turned white and there should be no blood near the bone (if you are using thighs that have bones in them). 

Some people use boneless - skinless thighs, some people like thighs with the skin and bone on. It doesn't matter which type you use, but I think thighs are the best thing to use for shoyu chicken. I also think it is good to cook the chicken a little ahead of time so that it can reabsorb the flavor of the sauce after it has cooked. So if I wanted chicken to be ready to eat at 5pm, I'd stick it in the oven at 3pm so that I would have time to cook it a little longer if needed and also so it could cool in the sauce for a while before serving it.

If you like the taste of a thicker sauce you can take the sauce out of the pan, after the chicken has cooked, and thicken it in a sauce pan with some corn starch and then pour the sauce back on the chicken.

Recipe Source: Benita C, my friend

Picture Source: Kuki's Kookbook

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

 

 

 

A crockpot chicken noodle soup, with chicken, onions, carrots, celery, and noodles.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken pieces (I used shredded rotisserie chicken)
• 4 cups water*
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste, depending on saltiness of broth
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 leek or small onion chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram or basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 ounces noodles

Preparation:

Place all ingredients except noodles in the Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Remove chicken and bay leaf from pot; take meat from bones, dice, and return to broth, and add the noodles. Cook another hour or until noodles are done (about 1/2 hour on high). Or, cook the noodles separately and add them just before serving.

 

*Note: I had to add another 2-3 Cups of water to broth after adding the noodles. 

 

Picture and Recipe Source: Southern Food

Chicken Souvlaki

Huge Greek fans at this house.  I have another Greek chicken recipe on this blog (click on the "Main Dishes: Greek" tab to the right of the screen to view it).  This recipe is similar, but I like a little variety every once in awhile.  We buy Naan flatbread at Costco and I also whip up some tzatziki sauce.  Add fresh tomatoes, onions and cucumbers.  My kids love this meal, but they prefer to eat everything separate and leave off the sauce.  Easy Peasy!


(I doubled the recipe below for my family and we had plenty of leftovers)
Chicken Souvlaki

1 TBS + 1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
10 oz boneless chicken breast, cut into strips


Prepare marinade and add to chicken.  Let sit at least 15 minutes in fridge (I like to do the prep work in the morning and let it sit in the fridge until I am ready to grill that evening).  Thread chicken on skewers and grill chicken over hot coals or on a broiler pan (I grill them) 4-5 minutes until chicken is cooked through.  Turn frequently (if I am running short on time, I don't do the skewers and just grill).

Top with tzatziki sauce:


Tzatziki sauce: Yield 1 ½ Cups
-make a few hours ahead of time so the flavors have time to mix

16 ounces plain yogurt (the brand "Mountain High" works really well because it is thick)
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
pinch kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 TBS olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
5-6 mint leaves, finely minced (optional)

Recipe Source:  My Sister in law Heather (I think)
Picture Source: Closet Cooking

Creamy White Chicken Chili

• To make it "healthier" I swapped out the sour cream for nonfat Greek yogurt and the whipping cream for 2% milk.  I also used shredded rotisserie chicken instead of skinless chicken breasts.  Served it with tortilla chips and fruit.  
• 
  
• Serves 6
• 
  
• Ingredients:

• 
  
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder (or fresh garlic, if using) in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips.
2. Slow Cooker Option: In a medium round slow cooker, place 1 pound chicken breasts (fresh or frozen) without cubing them. Add the chopped onion, garlic powder, beans, green chiles and all of the spices. Do not add the sour cream or whipping cream yet! Reduce the chicken broth to 12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) and pour in over the other ingredients. Stir the mixture around a bit to incorporate the dry spices. Cook on low for 5-7 hours (if using frozen chicken you’ll cook on the longer end of that spectrum, fresh chicken will cook in less time). Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred in bite-size pieces. Stir back into the slow cooker. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and whipping cream until smooth. Whisk the cream mixture into the crockpot with the other ingredients. Let the soup cook until heated through. Serve.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Photo Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Heart Attack Chicken

Sometimes I don't want to think about dinner.  I just want to dump stuff in a crock pot and walk away.  This is one of those meals.  Its not healthy-but it tastes good and my kids will eat it.  I served it with tons of broccoli as a side dish.  You can also make it in a casserole dish, but I don't have the baking instructions so you would just need to experiment!


*Note: This recipe can easily be split in half.  A halved amount would be a good sized dish to make for my family of two adults and three children.


Heart Attack Chicken

Soften and Mix:
1 stick butter
1 8oz package cream cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup

Combine and add with above ingredients:
2 packages Italian Salad Mix
2 C water
2 tsp bullion

Put mixture into crockpot for 6 hours on low.  Add 16 oz uncooked egg noodles 1 1/2 hours before serving.  May need to add and extra cup or two of milk to mixture to give it added moisture.   Can also boil noodles on the stove according to package directions and add into the crockpot mixture before serving.

Source: My awesome SIL Mylinda, who got it from someone in her ward.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

YIELD: SERVES 6-8

Make-Ahead Tip: I made the entire casserole the morning before I wanted to serve it and stored it in the fridge all day. It cooked up beautifully. The original recipe recommends making the topping and cheese sauce and then refrigerating them in separate bowls for up to 1 day. To reheat and assemble, poke several vent holes in the plastic wrap covering the sauce and microwave it for about 3 to 5 minutes, until it is hot. Cook the potatoes and assemble and bake according to the recipe directions.

INGREDIENTS

Topping:
• 4 slices white sandwich bread, torn into quarters (I used a long forgotten bread bowl tucked in the back of the freezer – thawed it in the microwave before using)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
• 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 4-5 medium), peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup heavy cream or milk
• 6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded, about 2 cups
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat and sliced thinly
• 9 ounces deli ham, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. For the topping, process the bread and butter in a food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside.
2. For the filling, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, making sure the oven rack is in the middle. Place the potatoes, 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are partially cooked, about 2 minutes (don’t overcook because they will continue to cook in the oven!). Carefully drain potatoes, or remove them with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a bowl. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute (this helps cook out the flour taste in the roux). Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and the cream or milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking often, until slightly thickened (if using milk instead of cream, you may have to cook longer for it to thicken up a bit). Off the heat, whisk in the Swiss cheese, Dijon, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
4. Toss the potatoes with half of the sauce and spread into the bottom of a lightly greased 9X13-inch baking pan. Layer alternating pieces of the chicken and ham over the potatoes, overlapping as needed. This is not a scientific procedure, just make sure that the chicken is in a single layer (not on top of each other) so that it cooks thoroughly. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the chicken and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the casserole is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes (add about 5-7 additional minutes onto the baking time if baking it after it has chilled in the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours). Sprinkle with parsley and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Original Source: Cover and Bake from the editors of Cook’s Illustrated

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

Homemade is way better than the can.  WAAAYYY better.  No preservatives.  Oh, and it tastes amazing in comparison to the stuff in a can. 


I made this recipe and added some shredded rotisserie chicken to give it some protein and deliciousness.  Served it over rice and added fresh ingredients on top to make Hawaiian Haystacks.  Some ingredients to use if making Hawaiian Haystacks: chopped onions, tomatoes, carrots, celery, green onions, olives, pineapple, coconut, cheese, mandarin oranges, Chinese noodles.  The list is endless!  Also, this recipe makes a lot.  I made the entire amount and froze half to use another time.  I also had so much gravy left over from the Hawaiian Haystack meal, that I plan on making chicken enchiladas with the leftovers.   


Cream of Chicken Soup from Scratch (4 cups)  8 tbs butter
*8 tbs flour (I used whole wheat flour)
4 c chicken stock
3 c milk (I used skim)
1/2 c minced onion
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1 C shredded rotisserie chicken (optional, Mel's addition)

*I ended up needing to add an additional 3 TBS of flour for it to thicken up enough, possibly because I used skim milk instead of one with a higher fat content?? 

In a pot melt butter, add onions and let cook until onions are translucent. Add flour, and whisk for a minute, letting the flour cook. While whisking, slowly add the chicken stock, and milk, whisking the entire time so that you don't have any lumps. Cook, stirring constantly over medium low heat until thickened to desired consistency. Add lemon juice and pepper at the end.

Recipe Source To Die For Recipes
Click here for photo source.

Chicken and Ham Creamy Parmesan Lasagna

  Meg did it again over at Food Tastic Sisters!  This dish was delicious!  I used leftover frozen smoked ham from Easter.  The smoky flavor was incredible.  I also put in extra asparagus.  So good! 

Ingredients:

2 C. Chicken Broth

1/2 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper

3 1/4 C. Skim Milk (I used 2%)

1/3 C. + 1 tbsp. Flour

1 1/2 C. freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 C. chopped parsley

12 no-cook lasagna noodles,divided

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and chopped up, divided (I've used rotisserie chicken in the past, but that increases the sodium, FYI)

8 oz. ham, divided

1 cup thinly chopped asparagus, divided

1 cup Pepper Jack cheese, divided (I used mozzarella cuz its all I had)

 

 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

 

2.  Place broth and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a large pot over medium high heat.  Bring to a boil.

 

3.   In a blender, combine flour, milk and remaining pepper together.  Mix thoroughly.

 

5.   Add milk mixture to broth in pan.  Stir CONSTANTLY over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil.  Let cook for ONE minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  

 

6.  Add 1 C. Parmesan cheese.  Add parsley and stir until cheese melts.

 

7.  You can use one 9x13 pan or two 8x8 pans.  Be sure to spray PAM on your pans.  Spread a little sauce over the bottom of the pan(s).  Layer the "oven ready" noodles over sauce.  Layer the Asparagus, Chicken, Ham & Pepper Jack over the noodles.  Noodles again.  Spoon a little more sauce over the noodles.  Add some chicken, ham, asparagus and pepper jack cheese.Then noodles and sauce, again.  Last layer of Chicken, Ham, Asparagus and Pepper jack.  Follow up with the final layer of noodles.
 

8.  Add a pinch of fresh parsley (if you still have some left over) and the rest of the Parmesan cheese on top.  Cover with foil that's been sprayed with Pam as well.  Cook for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let it cool for about 10-15 min.  It allows the lasagna to set up.  Then, serve alongside a hearty salad or veggie of your choice.

 

 

Thanks Meg!  Go Here for the original link at Food Tastic Sisters.  She shows step by step pictures. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Herb & Cheese Baked Chicken

I snagged this recipe from my super duper good friend Meg's cooking blog over at Food-Tastic-Sisters.  I love her cooking blog because she puts individual pictures up of every step of the recipe. They all look amazing!  There are so many recipes of hers I want to try.  Go take a look, you won't regret it! :) 


The only thing I would do differently next time is not use the Dijon mustard on the chicken I am serving to my kids.  They both didn't like the tangy flavor, which was a total bummer.  On the other hand, my husband and I both loved it! 

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 to 1 1/4 cups Panko breadcrumbs (must be Panko!!)

1/3 C. grated Parmesan cheese (a FAT handful)

2 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley

1 tbsp. chopped rosemary

1 tbsp chopped thyme

1 tbsp. chopped sage

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast (only 3 are pictured)

Olive oil, for drizzling

salt & pepper

about 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

**Meg says for best results use FRESH herbs.  I am sure she is 100% correct; however, I only had dried herbs and it still tasted pretty yummy.  I just decreased the amount by half for the dried herbs.  :) 

 

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2.  Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat.  When butter gets bubbly, add minced garlic and cook for two minutes stirring constantly.  It will brown up beautifully. 

3.  Pour the Panko bread crumbs into a dish (I used a casserole pan).  Pour the butter over the bread crumbs.  Stir and let cool.

4.  Add the cheese and all the FRESH herbs.  Mix well.

5.  Place the chicken on parchment paper.  Rub a little olive oil on both sides.  Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. 

6.  Add a little squirt of Dijon mustard to each chicken breast.  Spread the mustard, covering only ONE side. 

7.  Then take chicken, mustard side down, and press into the breadcrumb mixture.  Repeat for all pieces of chicken.  The breadcrumbs should only cover ONE side.  Once covered, I realized  the hefty amount of breadcrumbs that were left over.  So, I took an additional 3-4 tbsp of the breadcrumbs and placed it on top of the chicken.  Then, gently patted it down.  Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until juices run clear. 

 

Meg says (and I agree) that it was tangy, garlicky and crunchy.
The panko breadcrumbs hold their crispy texture and add a nice crunch to the tender chicken.  She paired the meal with Curried Cauliflower Soup (which can be found on her recipe blog, see link above). 

 

 

Source:Food Tastic Sisters