Chicken Enchiladas

I love enchiladas, but my first attempt to make them at home turned out miserably (thank you, jarred sauce). I’ve come a long way in my cooking since that time, and these enchiladas are definitely proof of that. These are simply delicious and would be great served with Mexican rice and black beans. They also make great leftovers! The only change I would make next time is to incorporate chipotles. They impart such a wonderful smoky flavor, and I love finding reasons to use them in my cooking.

Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sugar
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
cooking spray
salt and ground black pepper

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 425°.
-Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, jalapenos and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stirring often, cook 8-10 minutes or until onion and jalapenos are softened.
-Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar and cook for thirty seconds or until fragrant.
-Add tomato sauce, water and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened slightly.
-Add chicken breasts to sauce, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until chicken is cooked through, 12-20 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken. Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool.
-Using a fine mesh strainer, strain sauce into a medium bowl, making sure to press the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Add salt and pepper to the sauce if needed.
-Place onion mixture in a large bowl and set aside.
-Shred chicken and add to the onion mixture. Add 1/4 cup sauce, 1 cup cheese and cilantro. Stir to combine.
-Place tortillas on plate, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high heat for 1 minute.
-Fill each tortilla with about 1/3 cup chicken mixture, roll tightly and place seam side down into a greased 9×13 baking dish.
-Lightly spray the tops of the tortillas with cooking spray and bake uncovered for about 7 minutes. This will give your enchiladas a nice crunch, so skip this step if you don’t want it.
-Reduce heat to 400°. Remove enchiladas from oven and top with remaining sauce and cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
-Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese has browned.
-Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
-Top with sour cream, salsa, cilantro, guacamole, etc.

Source: Adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from America’s Test Kitchen