Chicken Enchiladas

Usually on Sunday...our family either has tacos or burrito bowls. Today, I was lazy and just decided to make chicken enchiladas. Soooooooo easy, they are practically stupid easy.


They are an even better idea when you have not-so-fresh-anymore tortillas to use up like I did tonight :) I used to buy the sauce in the can, but found this easy (and when I say it's easy, it is) red enchilada sauce recipe that I have tweaked which I make every time now. I think it's cheaper than the can and you can say you made it from scratch.


Excuse the picture...it's of the leftovers instead of a pretty ready-to-serve plate. See above for the reason. Lazy.

For you recipe junkies:

Enchilada Sauce

1 tbl olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced – or a tsp of the jarred minced up kind.
1 tsp minced onion
½ tsp dried oregano
2 ½ tsp chili powder – depending on how spicy you like it. For the kids sake I use 2 tsp.
½ tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried parsley or 2 tsp fresh – or not at all as I NEVER have any of either.
¼ cup salsa
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 ½ cups water

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat.
Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add onion, oregano, chili powder, basil, pepper, salt, cumin, parsley, salsa and tomato paste.
Mix together and then stir in the water.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20mins
You may need to add more water to your thickness liking depending on how much it reduces. It is a VERY forgiving recipe.

For the enchiladas - Sasch, this one is dedicated to you. I put amounts just for you sista!

10 flour tortillas - or so.
2 Costco cans of chicken (cuz that's how I roll) You would be surprised how well that canned chicken works in this recipe.
2 cups shredded cheese (plus about 1 ½ more for the top) – I use cheddar jack from Costco. See a pattern?
1-2 packages taco seasoning. I have the big container so I just end up shaking some in...till it looks good and tacoy.


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease 9X13 pan with Pam or whatever you use. Put enough of the sauce in the bottom of the pan to coat it. In a bowl, combine chicken, taco seasoning and cheese. Now honestly, how full you fill the enchiladas is up to you. I think I may put about ½ cup into each one and then I fold each side over and then the ends over like a square package (see poorly taken photo). I just adjust the filling amount until it is used up and the pan is filled up. Pour remaining sauce to taste over them and then top with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for about 35-40 minutes until you can hear the sauce bubbling when you check on them.

If there are any holes in this recipe, it is due to the fact that I made it up and don’t use one. I typed it on the fly just now.