Silverthyme

A CookBook Recipes & Other Stuff or How to Keep the Kids from Developing Beriberi After They've Moved Away From Home

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Enchiladas

These are really simple - especially if you use a rotisserie chicken from the store and pre-grated cheese ...good with either beef or chicken - and rice and a salad or guacamole

From: The Kitchn

1 15-ounce can Hatch red enchilada sauce (or your favorite brand) (I used a bit more of this)
1 8-10 count package taco-size soft corn tortillas (I used 10)
1 pound cooked shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken, or 2 to 3 cooked chicken breasts;you can also use 1 pound cooked ground beef
1 small to medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
2 1/2 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheese — Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, and/or cheddar (I think I used a bit more than this)
Sour cream, to serve (optional, well - not optional for me))
If you'd like to bake your enchiladas to serve right away or prior to freezing, preheat the oven to 375°F. If freezing, line two small (8x8-inch) or one large (9x13-inch) pans with parchment — this allows you to lift the frozen enchiladas out of the dish and store them as a solid block in your freezer.
Ladle enough enchilada sauce into your dish(es) to cover the bottom in a thin layer of sauce — about 1/4 to 1/3 cup for smaller rectangular dishes that hold 2 to 3 tortillas, and about 1/2 to 2/3 cup for a 9x13-inch pan that holds 6 to 8 tortillas.
Line up as many tortillas on your pan as will comfortably fit in the dish, using the side "flaps" of each tortilla to prop them open against each other.
Scoop about 1/2 cup chicken into each tortilla. Divide the bell pepper and green chiles evenly between the tortillas, sprinkling the pieces on top of the chicken. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons shredded cheese into each tortilla, then drizzle about 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce over the filling.
Roll the tortillas up, folding them over as you roll so the seamed side of each tortilla is face-down in the pan and the sauce-covered "bottom" is now on top.
Sprinkle the tortillas evenly with the remaining cheese, then drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce on top.
→ Moment of truth: The enchiladas can either be baked immediately and served for dinner, baked and then frozen once cooled, or frozen now and baked later.
If baking right away: Bake freshly assembled enchiladas for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
 Leftovers can also be frozen as individual servings.
To freeze unbaked enchiladas: Cover the casserole dish with a lid or wrap tightly with foil and freeze directly in the dish. Once frozen solid, lift the block out of the pan and wrap tightly in foil to freeze. Don't forget to write reheating instructions on the package.
To reheat frozen enchiladas: For not-yet-cooked enchiladas, preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the foil from the frozen block of enchiladas and transfer to a casserole dish (you can leave the parchment on or remove it). Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.
For precooked enchiladas, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the foil from the frozen block of enchiladas and transfer to a casserole dish (you can leave the parchment on or remove it). Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 to 20 minutes more (timing depends on the size of the pan; a large 9x13-inch casserole will take longer to heat through than a small casserole with only 2 enchiladas in it).
Frozen individual servings of precooked enchiladas can be zapped in microwave-safe dishes for 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve the enchiladas with sour cream - they are also good with guacamole!