Amazing Chicken Enchiladas

Enchiladas--wow, what an amazing food!  They are a magic combination of flavors that are at once spicy, rich, tart, and savory.  The combination of fresh and cooked components also make them a wonderful study in culinary contrasts--spicy and bland, hot and cold, crunchy and soft.  The word enchilada means "chilified" and in Mexico can be a very spicy dish, but you can control the fire by replacing hot peppers with mild ones.

Enchiladas originated in Meso-Amarica where the practice of eating meats and other ingredients wrapped in tortillas dates back to at least Mayan times.  The Nahuatl  word for enchilada is "chīllapītzalli " which is a combination of their words for "peppers" and "flute".  As I've mentioned before I am a fan and a student of indigenous foods from around the world because they are almost always simple, healthy, and delicious--they have stood the test of time.  There are so many wonderful varieties of enchiladas but I thought I'd share my recipe for Chicken Enchiladas.

Here's how to make these amazing chicken enchiladas:

Tender Shredded Chicken

• 2 Chicken Breasts
• 1 large Onion - chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Place the chicken breasts (can be frozen) in a slow cooker such as a Crock Pot.  Cover with the chopped onions salt and pepper.  Cook on low for 8 hours (if you want it extra tender) or on high for 3 hours.  At some point this will smell really good and I know you like to snitch but don't open the lid and peek during cooking or you'll let out the heat and it will take time to get back to cooking temperature.  When the cooking time is done open the lid and with two forks shred up the chicken and mix it all up with the cooked onions.

Cream Sauce

• 3 Tbsp Coconut Oil (you can use butter if you want)
• 6 Tbsp Flour
• 3 cups Kefir or Buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 4 oz can Diced Green Chiles (or half a cup of chopped up medium hot peppers - e.g. Jalapeño or Poblano)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt the oil in a sauce pan, stir in the flour to make a smooth roux with no lumps.  Stir in the Kefir / Buttermilk.  Add the remaining ingredients and cook on medium heat until the sauce thickens.  Mix the cream sauce with the shredded chicken.

Assemble and Cook The Enchiladas

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.  Grease a baking dish and spread it with a thin layer of the enchilada sauce of your choice -- my favorite is homemade Salsa Verde (meaning "green sauce") which we make in large batches when we find tomatillos on sale (see the recipe to make your own Salsa Verde below).  You can also buy Salsa Verde in Mexican markets or in the Latin isle of many grocery stores.  There are many other alternatives for Enchilada sauces (see some options for recipes below).  Place a large flour tortilla in the pan (you can buy the 10 inch ones at the store or make your own) and ladle some of the cream sauce / chicken into it.  Fold the edges to pan width and roll the tortilla.  Repeat this process until you filled the pan(s).  Smother the rolled tortillas in enchilada sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese (if you're going to a Mexican Market anyway buy some "Queso Fresco" (means "fresh cheese") which you crumble up like Feta and sprinkle over the top--this cheese imparts a delicious creamy tang to your food.  Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Serve immediately with additional enchilada sauce poured over them, with colorful fresh salsa, and with sour cream or better yet yogurt cheese.  Oh these enchiladas are GOOD!  I'm writing this during my weekly fast and just thinking about them and looking at the photos is making me extra hungry!

Enchilada Recipes

Salsa Verde

• 1 lb Tomatillos (about a dozen medium) husked, rinsed, and quartered (tomatillos are sometimes called husk tomatos because they're covered by a lantern-like husk--they are green when ripe and have a lemony tartness)
• 1/4 lb Fresh Peppers (hot or mild to taste) stemmed
• 10 sprigs Fresh Cilantro roughly chopped
• 1 large Onion peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup Water
• Salt to taste

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree.

Mom's Red Enchilada Sauce

• ¾ tsp Sugar
• 1 qt Home-canned Tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp Vinegar
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 Tbsp Jalapeño Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Onion Salt
• ¾ cup Flour

Puree the above ingredients in a blender, boil 6 cups of water, and stir puree slowly into the boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes.