I have no right to whine, because we aren’t buried under several feet of snow the way large swaths of the country are. But I swear — if you were to look at the sky in South Florida right now you would think 20 degrees and miserable. It has been gray and windy for far too long.
For the folks who are actually dealing with those bone-chilling conditions, you’ll appreciate a hearty enchilada casserole to warm you up. For my Florida friends, these flavorful enchiladas will do wonders to improve the general mood. You know what I’m talking about…
Realistically, you can top anything with melted cheese and it’s a siren call for most of us. But when you combine that with shredded chicken, black beans and chilies tucked into a corn tortilla and slathered with homemade enchilada sauce — well, really?
So this little bite of comfort food is the perfect salve for inclement weather — be it snow or rain or wind.
And, by the way, they freeze nicely too. So, if you’re like me and you’re cooking for two — not six or eight, do yourself a favor — make enough for the whole batch, but assemble them in two different casserole dishes or pans.
Have one tonight — and save the other for a night when you just can’t bear to make an effort. To reheat, warm the oven to 350° and bake, covered with tin foil for about 30 minutes.
And cheer up, spring, and hurricane season, are around the corner!
Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
A meaty chicken and black bean filling makes these hearty enchiladas delicious and satisfying. Homemade enchilada sauce is easier than you think!
Ingredients
For Enchiladas
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder I used ancho chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 3 cups chicken shredded, use a rotisserie chicken or 2 roasted chicken breasts
- 4 ounces monterey jack cheese shredded, divided
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 1 15- ounce can black beans
- 1 4.5- ounce can green chiles
- 1/2 - 1 whole jalapeño use as much as you like depending on your heat tolerance, stemmed, seeded, minced
- 1 package small corn tortillas - about 15-18
Serve With
- sour cream
- avocado
- cilantro
- tomato diced
- green onion sliced
- cheddar cheese shredded
- salsa
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat, until it starts to shimmer. Add flour, cumin, garlic powder, salt and chili powder and stir constantly until well blended and fragrant, about one minute. Add tomato paste and adobo sauce, stir to combine. Stirring constantly, add the broth and bring the enchilada sauce to a boil over medium high heat. Cook for one minute at a boil and remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large bowl combine chicken, black beans, green chiles, jalapeño, half of each of the cheeses and 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce. Toss to combine thoroughly.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish or two 8x8 inch baking dishes.
- Using the enchilada sauce in the saucepan, assemble the enchiladas by lightly dipping each tortilla into the sauce, so they are moist on both sides. Spoon chicken filling into the center of the tortilla and carefully roll the tortilla over onto itself and place into the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spoon remaining enchilada sauce over the casserole and top with cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve with sour cream, avocado, cilantro, tomato, green onion, cheese and salsa on the side.
More Tex-Mex Favorites:
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- Tangy Shrimp Tacos
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- Hatch Chile Breakfast Strata
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- Pork Chile White Bean Enchiladas
“Pin It” For Later!
Enchiladas are one of my favorite meals, and yet for some reason I rarely make them! I definitely need to change that, because this recipe looks AMAZING!