Chicken Enchiladas

These damn enchiladas were my nemesis at one point.  The first time I ever made them Cole was a few months old.  I came home from work and spent a lot of time preparing these and baking them and then it was finally time to eat.  We prepared out plates and like a light bulb Cole became UNBEARABLE!  He screamed and cried and screamed some more so much that I was forced to put him to bed.  I was so mad that when I came back down an hour later I had a ham and cheese sandwich.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons cumin powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend

1 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced (this is some heat here...may want to exclude)

1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

16 corn tortillas

1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, canned

1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses

Salsa: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped onions or scallions, lime juice, chopped tomatoes

Coat large saute pan with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 5-7 minutes each side or until no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Mexican spices before turning. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool.

Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute.

Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips, or dice into small pieces if your lazy. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. Coat the bottom of 2 (13 by 9-inch) pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving.

Make your own salsa.  Dice up tomatoes, onion, yellow peppers, and cilantro.  Ad 2-3 tbls of lime juice and let sit for 30 minutes or longer.  When dicing the tomatoes make sure you cut out the center and don't add the mushy seedy juicy crap.