Do you have a dish that you would keep eating forever if your stomach didn’t run out of room? That’s how I feel about these enchiladas.
Even after the meal is over, I find every excuse to have “just a little more” – a bite here as I pack the leftovers into containers, a bit there when I (inevitably) spill some, licking the spatula once the baking dish is empty…
In my family we have certain meals that everyone gets to personalize, and enchiladas are one of them. If you are trying to please multiple palates, you can easily make different fillings and bake them all in the same dish (as long as you remember where you put each one). This chicken filling is based on my dad’s recipe, which has a super savory and rich flavor. The tofu filling is based on my mom’s recipe, using mashed tofu and cheese to make it extra soft and creamy. I think the perfect combination is some of each.
Ingredients (makes 20 enchiladas)
- 20 corn tortillas
Chicken Filling (makes 10)
- 2 chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
- Note: these instructions are for uncooked chicken, but if you use cooked chicken you can just mix everything together.
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 5 mini sweet peppers (or 1 bell pepper), diced
- 1 (12 oz.) can black beans
- 2 (12 oz.) cans red enchilada sauce
- 1/2 cans for filling
- 1 1/2 cans for topping
- 1/2 cup grated cheese (recommended: cheddar)
Tofu Filling (makes 10)
- 1/2 block tofu
- 1 1/2 cup grated cheese (recommended: cheddar)
- 1 cup for filling
- 1/2 cup for topping
- 1 (4 oz.) can green chilies
- 1 (12 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
- 4 tbs for filling
- remainder for topping
- 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn
Instructions
Cooking time: 75 minutes (15 min to make each filling, 15 min to assemble, 30 min to bake)
Chicken Filling
- Put frying pan over medium-high heat
- When pan is warm add chicken, onion, and garlic; stir fry until onion and garlic is tender and chicken starts to brown
- Add peppers, cook for another 5 min
- Add black beans and enchilada sauce, cook for another 5 min
Tofu Filling
- Mash tofu
- Mix in cheese, green chilies, enchilada sauce, and corn
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Using 2 medium baking dishes, just barely coat the bottom of each with enchilada sauce (red for dish that will have chicken enchiladas, green for tofu enchiladas)
- To assemble enchiladas: fill center with a rectangle of filling, fold over the edges, and carefully place in pan seam-side down
- Add toppings to each pan: first cheese and then enchilada sauce, trying to cover all surfaces to avoid burning
- Bake for 30 min, or until top is lightly browned and all cheese is melted
Enjoy!
April 8, 2015 at 5:15 am
Chicken is my all time fav! Perfect treat 🙂
September 19, 2016 at 7:40 am
In my version I don’t put the beans in the chicken enchiladas. I have them with rice on the side, preferably mixed together as in gallo pinto.
Also, a handful of dried cranberries gives a non-traditional burst of flavor.