Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

I've been looking for a really good and easy chicken enchilada recipe for a while now. I wanted one that was easy, fairly quick and downright delicious. Lately I've been having these crazy Mexican food cravings (No family I'm not knocked up!) and  homemade chicken enchiladas just sounded like heaven to me!

I printed off a few recipes to try and pulled out the handy, dandy tried and true cookbooks to start my quest on finding the perfect chicken enchiladas. Yall I swear the Food Gods must really be on my side because every time I'm craving a certain recipe one of my readers just out of the blue answers my prayer!

I went to my inbox and there it was!!  Jeannette Hayes sent me this chicken enchilada recipe and said "it was so good and easy I'd slap myself" LMAOO now I've heard of the phrase "slap yo mama" but never SLAP YOURSELF!  I said wooow I need to try this bad boy and let me say Jeanette it was fabulous!

This chicken enchilada recipe is super simple and oh so good!  I made this for my hubby and Mexican-food-loving in-laws and it was a hit! I paired it up with some Mexican rice, shredded salad, and slushy cold margarita punch! It really hit the spot on my enchilada craving!  I'll be adding it to my recipe stash!! Thanks Jeanette, you rock!

Ingredients

3-4 chicken breast (about 1 pound)

1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon oregano
3-4 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 - 1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 

3 cups shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend and a bag of Colby Jack Cheese)
1 (10 ounce) can green enchilada sauce
olives (optional)
6-8 flour tortillas
oil

Preheat Oven to 350

Step 1.) Add chicken to large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through. Do not overcook.

Step 2.) When chicken is done, pour out the water and place chicken on a plate to cool and then shred with a fork.

Step 3.) In the large pot add the next 9 ingredients

Step 4.) Stir until combined and then stir in the shredded chicken. Taste the mixture to make sure it has enough spices to your liking. Add more if desired.  Heat on medium-low just until heated.

Step 5.) While the mixture is heating, heat 1-2 Tablespoons of oil on a skillet. Heat each tortilla one at a time on both sides just until lightly crisp (tortilla should still be flexible) This will keep the tortilla from getting too soggy while baking. Transfer to paper towels.

Step 6.) In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish pour in a thin layer of the enchilada sauce just enough to cover the bottom.

Step 7.) Spoon the chicken mixture onto the center of the tortilla. Add in cheese and black olives if desired.

Step 8.) Fold the tortilla up and place seam side down in the baking dish. (hopefully your folding won't be as sloppy as mine)

 

 

Step 9.) When all tortillas have been stuffed, folded and placed in the pan, pour on the remaining enchilada sauce and top with cheese!

 

 

Step 10.) Bake for 20 minutes!

Serve it up with some hot Mexican rice, crunchy green salad and some margarita beer punch and honey you are in business!!!

ENJOY!!!

Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

 

A Bowl of Down-Home, Comforting, Savory, GOODNESS!

It's snowing! It's snowing!! The only time I usually make up a pot of homemade chicken and dumplings is when it's snowing outside! And today....BINGO WE GOT ACTION!!!!

This homemade chicken and dumpling recipe is quicker than most, full of flavor and has that southern, old fashioned flair. If you prefer your dumplings cakey like the Bisquick kind then bypass this recipe because you will be highly disappointed...or you may just find that you like this way MUCH better.  (I know I do!)

These dumplings are tender, moist, and has just the right of amount of "doughiness" (does that make sense?) The butter-flavored Crisco really sets them off and when they've had a chance to soak up that chicken broth overnight...HONEY HUSH!!!

You could easily add in more veggies like celery and onions to take this pot of chicken and dumpling to the next level of Downright Sinful.

What I love the most about this chicken and dumpling recipe is that is it easy and doesn't require all day to prepare it.

Watch me makes these dumplings from start to finish!!

Watch On Youtube

Ingredients

1 to 1 1/2 pounds of uncooked chicken breast

Stock
8 cups water
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of celery flakes
1 teaspoon of onion powder
4-5 teaspoons of bouillon granules

2 cups of frozen peas and carrots (optional)

Dumplings
3 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
A few dashes of poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 egg, beatened
1 cup chicken stock

Step 1.) In a large pot add in the chicken and all of the Stock ingredients EXCEPT for the boullion granules.
Step 2.) Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken) or until chicken is cooked. Do not overcook or you'll have some tough chicken on your hands
Step 3.) When done, remove chicken and set aside to cool off.
Step 4.) Remove one cup of the broth and place in the refrigerator to cool off (this will be for our dumplings!) NOTE: If you like a more flavorful  dumpling do this step after you have added the boullion and seasoned the broth to your liking.
Step 5.) Add the boullion granules to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Taste the stock and make sure it has a wonderful taste.  Add in more pepper or seasoning if needed.
Step 6.) Add in the frozen peas and carrots.

Let's Make The Dumplings!

Step 1.) In a bowl add the flour, baking powder, salt and a few dashes of poultry seasoning. Whisk until combined
Step 2.) Next add the butter-flavored Crisco and use your hands or a pastry cutter to blend until the mixture is crumbly.
Step 3.) Add in the egg and  the 1 cup of chilled chicken stock. Use your hands to combine the ingredients well. Dough will be sticky.
Step 4.) Turn the dough out onto a well- floured surface and knead lightly. Add more flour if needed if the dough is too sticky to handle
Step 5.) Roll the dough out until it is 1/8th inch thick. Cut 1 inch squares with a knife or pizza cutter (horizontally and then vertically).
Step 6.) Bring the stock to a boil and drop in the dumplings. Work as quickly as possible. Be sure to stir the dumplings often to prevent it from sticking. Cook for 10-15 minutes on medium.
Step 7.) Shred up the cooled chicken and add it to the stock.

SERVE AND ENJOY!!!

(this taste sooooo much better the next day!....but who can actually wait that long!)