Smokey Chicken + Bean Enchiladas
One of my favorite songs ever is “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. One of my favorite meals ever is enchiladas. Both remind me of home. The song for obvious reasons, the enchiladas because they are one of the very few elaborate meals my dad cooks for us. In fact, for a long time enchiladas were the meal we ate together as a family on New Year’s Day. There’s something lovely and cozy about memories of home and family, so enchiladas and this song (sort of) are comfort food for me. Though the method for making enchiladas was learned from my dad, the flavors and combinations are my own. Smoky Chicken and Bean Enchiladas, a new twist on a Daphne Has Fun comfort food classic! Eat up!
RECIPE
Yield: at least 12 servings | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Stove Time: 1 hour |Bake Time: 30 minutes
SMOKEY TOMATO SAUCE
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 leeks, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 T tomato paste
- 1 t salt
- 1 t pepper
- ½ t paprika
- 1½ t chile powder
- 1½ t cinnamon
- 1 t coriander
- 1 t cumin
- 1 t oregano
- 1 T cocoa
- 2 T adobo sauce
- 3-4 tomatoes, diced
- 1 24 oz-can of tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 oz-can of diced tomatoes
ENCHILADAS
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 24 oz-can of black beans
- 1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 2 c cheddar cheese
- 24 corn tortillas
1. Heat 1 T olive oil and 1 T vegetable oil a large stockpot on a medium flame. The olive oil is for flavor. The vegetable oil increases the smoking point and prevents burning. Add the onions, carrots, celery, leeks, and garlic sauté 10-15 minutes until the veggies are softened.
2. Stir in the tomato paste and let everything just melt together on a medium-low flame for another 3-4 minutes. Add all your herbs, spices and adobo sauce, and of course the salt and pepper, and cook the mixture together for another 5 minutes.
3. Toss in the diced fresh tomatoes and the can of diced tomatoes. Stir well. Finally add the tomato sauce and some water if it is too thick. Simmer over a low flame for 20-30 minutes.
4. Transfer about 1½ to 2 cups of the sauce to a small saucepan and add the drained black beans. Cook until thick and bit mushy (25-30 minutes).
The beans all cooked and slightly mushy.
5. Concurrently, add the chicken to the first pot and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is tender, cooked and shreds easily. Remove the chicken and shred it in a small bowl.
6. Meanwhile sauté the peppers and onions in a little bit of olive oil until they are soft and almost caramelized (about 20 minutes).
7. Now that you have all your fillings ready, set up everything in an assembly line, so that you can actually make the enchiladas.
8. Assembling the enchiladas: First, preheat the oven to 400°F. If the tortillas are not pliable, pop them in the microwave in a dishtowel for 30 seconds. Once they are warm and flexible lay one tortilla flat on the work surface in front of you. Sprinkle a thin lay of cheese in a strip down the center of the tortilla. Top that with a little bit of sauce, then shredded chicken, then beans and finally the sautéed veggies. DO NOT OVERFILL. Gentle fold the left side and then the right side of the tortilla to the center, capturing the filling in the middle and being careful not the break or rip the tortilla itself. Flip the enchilada seam-side down into a large casserole dish that has been coated in a thin layer of your smoky red sauce. Continue this process, until all the tortillas are filled and in the casserole dish. You will probably have enough enchiladas to fill two dishes.
9. Cover the enchiladas with sauce and cheese and then bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbly. Serve with sour cream. And of course enjoy!
