baked chicken (or beef) enchiladas

I could eat Mexican food every single day of my life.  It's easily my favorite type of food, and its simplicity makes Mexican my favorite kind to cook as well.  I've definitely made my fair share of queso and quesadillas, but these enchiladas are my favorite to make.  But I tend to use the largest tortillas I can get my hands on, so I guess you could classify these as burritos if you wanted to.  

Either way, they're delicious. 

Here's what you'll need to create your own:

1 pkg flour tortillas

1 lb skinless boneless chicken breast or lean ground beef (I've made these both ways)

2 cans enchilada sauce (I prefer medium--it gives a nice little kick)

2 cans chopped green chiles

1 pkg shredded mexican-blend cheese

A few dollops sour cream

 Chop chicken into small cubes, trimming the fat, and place pieces into a non-stick skillet. For ground beef, just take the packaging off and put the meat immediately into a skillet.  Cook thoroughly on 350 degrees.  Once the meat is cooked through (about 10 minutes), turn the heat down to warm.

 Pour enchilada sauce over the cooked chicken or beef, stirring until all the pieces are coated.  Next add a few large dollops of sour cream, again stirring until the meat is coated.  Then add the green chiles (note: make sure you drain the juice out).  The amount you use depends on how much spice you like--the more chiles you add, the more spice the enchiladas will have.  You can omit them completely if you'd like, although I think they kick the flavor up a couple notches. Now sprinkle cheese on top of the mixture, stirring it in, and topping with more cheese.

 Keeping the concoction on warm, begin spreading sour cream on the tortillas.  This is also a good time to preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the baking pan.  You could use non-stick spray for this of course, or more sour cream if you love it like I do.

 Fill the tortillas with the meat, sauce, cheese, and chiles, and wrap up as tightly as possible.  This is where I usually open up the second can of enchilada sauce, and pour some over the enchiladas.  Top with cheese, and then more enchilada sauce and more cheese!

 Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes (depending on how good your oven is).  Since everything is already cooked, this just seals in the flavor and melts the cheese.

Now comes the best part--eating them! These babies are incredibly filling and flavorful, and as much as I enjoy making them for my friends and family (I was able to cook these for my Momma a couple times), I enjoy eating them even more.

Enjoy!
xo