As expected, Danny boy’s birthday dinner was fabulous. The marinated steak was juicy and flavorful at medium rare and the grilled potato skins with prosciutto, fresh parmesan, Romano and Asiago cheeses were simply amazing to the taste buds! The Raspberry White Chocolate Cake was so rich and decadent; I could only have a few bites. A piece of that cake would last a person a couple days.
Tonight, by request from my 18 year old son, Chase, I will be making my special chicken enchiladas. I am not a big fan of red enchilada sauce so I came up with a cheesy alternative that is absolutely divine. Homemade Spanish rice, refried beans and homemade salsa with chips is the game plan today. I have a variety of fresh produce from the local farmer’s market; the sweet corn is absolutely amazing and I may try to incorporate it somehow, today.
Chicken Enchiladas with Monterey Jack Cheese Sauce Instructions:
I take boneless/skinless chicken breast and simmer with chicken broth, green chilies, jalapenos, sweet onions, garlic and a variety of other spices, including cumin and coriander, which are the classic flavors we enjoy in Mexican food. I cook the chicken breasts until you can shred them easily with a fork. Reserve the chicken broth for the cheese sauce that accompanies this dish. After shredding I usually transfer the chicken to a skillet with onions and garlic finely chopped and sauté. I use a variety of spices to flavor the chicken, but a packet of chicken taco seasoning works the same and is less expensive than stocking up on spices you may never use for other dishes. After the chicken mixture is done, set aside and start the cheese sauce.
This sauce is quite simple and can be made as spicy or as mild as one wants by controlling how little or how many chilies and jalapenos you use. Sauté an onion (I prefer the sweet Vidalia onions in EVERYTHING), garlic, chilies and jalapenos with butter. When all the veggies are translucent you add flour in equal proportion to the amount of butter you used. We are making a rue or white sauce, which is super simple, but for some reason people hype it up into something difficult. I have been making this sauce since I was a child with my mother, so BE NOT AFRAID!! Anyone can do this!
After you add the flour, let it mix and get all bubbly in your pan; add several cups of the reserved chicken broth. Continue to simmer until the chicken broth mixture is thick. Next add a mixture of cheeses. I prefer Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Asiago, or a standard Mexican blend from the store works too. The cheese is going to start to melt and you will want to turn the heat down on the stove at this point. Last ingredient is sour cream and your last chance to thicken your sauce if you added the cheese prematurely. If your sauce is too thin, stir a few tablespoons of flour in with the sour cream and add to the cheese sauce, this will bring the sauce out of its soup status and back to the consistency needed. If your sauce is too thick, add more chicken broth but only a little at a time. I also like to use a whisk for this sauce versus a wooden spoon. The whisk seems to combine the rue and chicken broth without lumps of flour as a spoon can. Once the cheese sauce is complete, roll up the enchiladas.
Tortilla choices: Corn or Flour?
If you are an inexperienced cook, go with the flour tortillas as the corn tortillas are a pain in the, you know what, to work with. Corn tortillas have been a thorn in my side for this dish, but ultimately taste so much better! So, if you have a high level of patients and several packages of tortillas, give it a try. Simply take your tortilla put a spoonful of the chicken mixture inside and roll. I use to attempt to fold in the sides and make a nice little package, so to speak, but the tortillas often broke and I switched to a straight roll. Saves time and frustration in the kitchen and tastes the same.
Arrange your rolled enchiladas in a baking dish that has been thoroughly greased or spray well with a non-stick spray. Next simply spoon the cheese sauce over the enchiladas, top with more of the shredded cheeses. Black olives and jalapenos are also a great addition if you like them, but can be omitted just the same if you don’t. Finally bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese on top begins to turn golden brown.
Complete recipes will be made available by following Absolute Cooking. I’m off to the store to pick up a few ingredients I am missing. Happy Cooking!
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