Verde Chicken Enchiladas

Whoa! It’s literally been more than two years since my last post! (Grammar and punctuation police — stay away!). Sooo much has changed and as a matter of fact, the ENTIRE world is currently fighting the cornavirus pandemic! Yes, in 2020, we’re on lockdown and forced to “social distance” away from our families and friends so we don’t get sick or spread the virus to others. The world has literally come to a halt and in some instances, some good has come of it. That is — when you turn off the news! I promise this post is not about what’s going on in the world. However, it did take a catastrophic event for me to stop and do something I actually miss! Tonight, I want to take advantage of this time and share a recipe I made this evening that really made my tastebuds happy…

Where are my foodie friends? I totally miss going out to eat for a few reasons. #1 – I don’t usually cook often. Maybe once a week or so. And when I do, it’s usually on Sundays. During the week it’s too much of a hassle. You have to plan for it. Shop for it. And while I love to shop (food or otherwise) – it’s really hard cooking for one. #2 – I end up throwing away more than I eat. Who wants to be wasteful? #3 – I love a variety of foods, so going out to eat makes it easier. #4 – I don’t always know what I’ll be in the mood for. Yes, it would be nice to be disciplined enough to cook what I already have, but that takes too much culinary creativity, and I much rather watch Food Network for those types of challenges! Back to the point, I’ve been craving Mexican all week.

Earlier this week, I thought I’d support a local small business near me by getting Mexican takeout for dinner. I pulled up and they were closed! *sad face.* (It looked like they were renovating, but as aforementioned — CORNAVIRUS! *in my Cardi B voice.*) Needless to say, my craving didn’t go away. So tonight, I made verde chicken enchiladas. I will say, my expectations were… not low… but I was JUST making something to eat! Earlier in the week, I decided to make basic chicken in my crockpot so that I would have some flexibility on meal options. But again, my craving for Mexican food was intense! After I called and texted a few people and shared on Instastories, it made me realize — y’all need to try this!

Disclaimer: This recipe is more of a hybrid of my tastebuds, other enchilada recipes I’ve had, and another I saw during my excessive screentime. Nothing was measured, but I feel like you can’t go wrong! Also, the photos aren’t glamourous. (I had not planned on sharing this)… Let’s get started!

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts
Chicken broth (optional)
Green salsa
Sour cream (or an alternative)
Green chiles (optional, but highly recommend)
Cilantro
Green onion (optional)
Flour or corn tortillas – I used flour
Cheddar Jack or Mexican style shredded cheese
Lime
Tomatoes
Fresh garlic

Step 1: Prepare chicken

Prepare chicken breasts in your crockpot. — I used 3 smaller pieces seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and coriander -basically, whatever I thought would give me Mexican flavors in my cupboard.
Add chicken broth.
Cook on low or high depending on the time you have.
Once the chicken is done, shred and leave in the crockpot to rest.

Step 2: Make the sauce

In a pan, heat a little EVOO and add a couple of chopped garlic cloves until fragrant.
Add the salsa.
Add a little sour cream for a creamier sauce.
Throw in your green chiles (optional), chopped cilantro, and about a handful of cheese.
Preserve about a cup of the sauce.
Transfer your shredded chicken to the pan.
Once coated, remove from heat.

Step 3: Let’s roll!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slightly grease baking dish.
Pour preserved sauce in baking dish. (It’s okay if you forget. They’ll be extra).
Add chicken mixture to the center of tortilla and roll. Place secured tortilla in the baking dish and repeat until done.
Pour additional sauce from the pan on top.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Add chopped green onion. (Optional)
Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove foil. Bake for another 10 minutes or so.