Lighter Chicken Enchiladas

(1,032)
Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:
4

Shredded chicken, corn tortillas, plus a smoky chipotle sauce -- a delicious dinner in three steps.

Ingredients

  • Coarse salt and ground pepper

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotles in adobo

  • 1 can (14 ½ ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

  • 8 corn tortillas (6-inch)

  • ½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)

Directions

  1. In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil. Add chicken. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 5 minutes; remove skillet from heat. Let chicken steam, covered, until opaque throughout, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer chicken to a medium bowl; shred with two forks. Set aside.

  2. While chicken is cooking, make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add flour, cumin, and chipotles in adobo; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly, 5 to 8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer 1 cup sauce to bowl with chicken; toss to combine.

  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour 1/4 cup sauce into bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside. Stack tortillas, and wrap in a double layer of damp paper towels; microwave until hot, about 1 minute. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture; roll up tightly, and arrange, seam side down, in baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce, and top with cheese. Bake until hot and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

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Cook's Notes

Chipotles in adobo (smoked, dried jalapenos in sauce) are spicy -- for less heat, scrape out ribs and seeds. You'll find them in the international aisle. Pan-steaming is a smart way to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Gentle heat and moisture keep the meat juicy and tender without any added fat.

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