Mostly Organic Chicken Enchiladas

When Kent & I started getting to know Joe & Megan after they moved in next door 8 years ago, we’d go out to dinner with them and for the first time in our lives we’d hear phrases like, “Can you believe the presentation they used for that entree?!” We looked at eachother in disbelief, wondering who in the world cares how food LOOKS, all we’ve ever cared about before was how it tasted! (These days, now we also care about how nutritious it is, but that’s only been in the last 4 years!) Well, they’ve become great friends, and now we realize what a score it was getting them for neighbors – they’re the best cooks we know, and both love to share all their concoctions! (I’m still trying to get Joe to e-mail me with his homemade blueberry or white-chocolate raspberry scones recipe so I can post it! Oh, to wake up on a Saturday morning with the coffee going and have Joe show up at the door with some of those…pure joy!)

WHAT DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH CHICKEN ENCHILADAS?

I’ve been waiting for Meg to have a chance to send me her awesome Chicken Enchiladas recipe, but then today when I made it for dinner, I found her recipe attached to mine. So I’ll let you know how I make them, then tell you the way she does it. (Hers are tastier for adults, but the kids like mine better because they’re less spicy.)

This doesn’t take long to pull together if you’ve already got your chicken off the bone and your chicken stock done (or some in the freezer to pull out). If not, then start the day before or in the morning on those.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS: (use as many organic ingredients as possible)

• 1 c. chopped onion (we use less)
• 2 or more garlic cloves to taste (or 1 t. garlic powder)
• 6 T. butter
• 1/4 c. + 2 T. flour
• 14 oz. can chicken broth or 1 3/4 c. homemade
• 1/2 of a Simply Organic Taco seasoning packet (non-organic packets often have MSG and trans fat)
• 1 c. organic sour cream
• 1 T. sugar (organic evaporated cane juice)
• Organic can of tomatoes with green chilies. (Or your own canned chunky tomato sauce and 1-2 green chilies chopped up.)
• 1 Package of tortillas – I’ve been using “La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Soft Wraps / traditional” – package of 6. The ingredient label is entirely too long for my taste, BUT they are soft and good and the whole family eats them. Also they’re made with olive oil instead of a lot of other junk oils you see in most tortillas, and these have NO trans fat - it’s not easy finding tortillas without that nasty ingredient. Believe me, I wish I had the inclination to make my own, or to find some sprouted whole grain tortillas that everyone loves, but until then, these are the best I’ve found.
• 2-4 cups cut up, cooked chicken (preferably from a good farm with animals that don’t eat junk and who are out on pasture daily)
• Organic chopped green pepper (optional)
• 1 c. organic shredded cheddar or colby/jack cheese

Melt butter; sauté onion and garlic for a minute or two. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Cook 30 seconds to a minute without letting it burn. Add broth, sour cream, sugar and taco seasoning and keep whisking. Once it’s thickened, remove from heat and set aside.

Butter a 9×13 pan and put one layer of tortillas on the bottom, tearing to make them fit. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the tortillas, and then put chicken layer on. Do another tortilla layer and spoon more sauce on top. (Always put sauce on the tortillas or they will come out hard and difficult to cut!) Spread out tomatoes & chilies (undrained) and green peppers. Then another tortilla layer. More sauce. If you have extra tortillas, just tear up more and layer them in. Sprinkle the cheese on top.

(Note: for the kids I leave one section with less green chilies.)

Bake uncovered, for about a half hour, at 375* (or longer on a lower heat) – just long enough to get it hot all the way through and to let the cheese brown a bit. Let it set out a few minutes before trying to cut it.

MEGAN’S CHICKEN ENCHILADAS RECIPE

Her way to make them is very similar with a few variations. (Meg, if I missed something, please comment below!)

• First, I know that she spends a whole afternoon now and then and cooks a BUNCH of chicken and chicken stock, then freezes it so she’s got it all ready to pull out for recipes like this one.
• Also, instead of making it in layers like I do (the lazy way), she rolls them up individually with the various fillings inside each one along with a little of the sauce, then places them in a greased pan and pours the sauce on top. Sprinkle on the cheese.
• In her sauce she adds a LOT more spices (and omits the taco seasoning packet and the sour cream): 1-2 T. chili powder, 1-2 t. cumin, 1/2 t. sea salt, 1/2 t. rubbed sage, 14 oz. chicken broth (or even better, about 1 3/4 c. homemade) also a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce (or about 2 c. homemade).

TELL ME IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER VARIATION!

• Read about Megan’s DETOX program she implemented at school
• Do you have a family-favorites meal list yet? It makes meal-planning easy!
• Tips on keeping your pantry & freezer stocked – another way to come up with meals fast
• My favorite kitchen gadgets that make life more simple

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