His and Her Wonderful Wednesday - Chicken Enchiladas from Scratch

I am a huge fan of Mexican food (you can read about it and my other favourite foods here in America here). Although it may look difficult to make, Mexican food can be pretty easy to make from scratch. I used to buy the El Paso Chicken Enchilada Kit, but I figured out it would be just as easy and a lot cheaper to make it from scratch myself. Check it out for yourself to see just how easy it is.

   

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and cook about 1-2 minutes on each side until just brown. It's ok that the chicken is still pink in the middle.

One of the times I made Enchiladas, I realized I forgot to buy the taco seasoning packet. Amanda found the recipe online (link below) and we have been using it ever since. I wrote it on the bag so I would always know where it is. You need 2-3 tbsp for the recipe.

Cook the chicken in the taco seasoning and a little water until the seasoning coats the chicken and you cook out a little of the water.

 Put a small amount of cheese on each of the tortillas.

Place about 4-6 pieces of chicken on each tortilla and then roll up.

Place the enchiladas into a pan. Drizzle the enchilada sauce on top and then sprinkle with cheese. Cover with aluminium foil. Place into a 425F / 220C oven for 24 minutes.

 After they cool a little bit, remove the aluminum foil and enjoy!

Here is the full recipe:

Ingredients:
1- 1 1/2 LBS / 450-700gm of boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
1 packet or 2-3 TBSP Taco seasoning (or use this recipe to make your own)
6 flour tortillas
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese (I normally use a Mexican blend)
1/2 cup Enchilada sauce (or you can use the dry powder mix or make your own) 

To keep things simple you can use the taco seasoning packets and enchilada sauces from your local supermarket but I recommend making your own. It's pretty easy and a lot cheaper (with a lot less sodium) than the supermarket brands. Plus you can adjust the spiciness of the seasoning and sauce to suit your taste. I have provided links to the recipes I use from Allrecipes.com, but you can use any recipe that appeals to you.

1: Preheat the oven to 425F / 220C.
2: Cut up the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place into a skillet. Cook the chicken, on each side, for just a minute or two until the outside is just white. This will keep the chicken nice and juicy. The insides of the chicken should still be pink.
3: Put the water into the skillet along with the taco seasoning. Mix until the seasoning is well mixed over the chicken and then remove from heat.
4: Place a small amount of cheese on each tortilla. 
5: Place about 4-6 pieces of chicken onto each tortilla and roll up. Place them in a greased 9x13 inch / 22x33cm pan, seam side down. Place any excess chicken on the side of the pan, next to the enchiladas. 
6: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place into oven.
7: Bake for approx 24 minutes or until chicken is 165F / 74C

That's it for a delicious and easy chicken enchilada dinner. Ditch the kit and make your own chicken enchiladas tonight!