Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe comes from my mom, and it is always a hit in my household. Sometimes I will just make the Jalapeno Chicken in my crockpot, and we will eat it in tacos instead - a little lighter, and also equally delicious!

Chicken Enchiladas

Jalapeno Chicken (recipe below)
Enchilada Sauce (recipe below)
1 package Mexican cheese (I use a three-cheese blend)
6 - 8 flour tortillas

Jalapeno Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small can chopped jalapeno chiles
1 can chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon cilantro
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin

Put all ingredients with chicken breasts in crockpot; cook for 4-5 hours. Shred chicken once cooked; set aside.

Enchilada Sauce
1 small can tomato paste
water (as needed)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cilantro
1 teaspoon ground red pepper, or to taste (I usually end up using about 1 1/2 teaspoons)

In a medium saucepan, heat tomato paste over medium. Add water, as needed, to thin paste to consistency you like. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and cilantro. Gradually season with red pepper, until you reach desired level of spiciness. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325°. Spoon ¼ cup sauce in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Set aside. Make enchiladas - fill each tortilla with a heaping ¼ cup shredded chicken and about 2 tablespoons cheese; tightly roll up. Arrange enchiladas, seam side down, in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Cover with aluminum foil; bake until hot and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

(They may not be the prettiest enchiladas, but believe me, they taste fantastic! And luckily my husband takes amazing pictures of my food for me. Thanks sweetie!)

Photo courtesy of Nicholas Draney Photography

Chicken Tortilla Soup

So this was the first time I've ever made soup at home. Neither my husband nor I eat (drink?) soup very often, but this recipe caught my eye and I had to try it out. I made this soup in my crockpot and it turned out really well. I paired it with some freshly baked cornbread. This was a nice warm meal to come home to after a chilly, late-afternoon walk on the beach.


Chicken Tortilla Soup
adapted from Cooking Light

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeno pepper (I used 1 Tbsp. canned diced jalapeno)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans no-salt-added chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced peeled tomatoes (such as Del Monte Fresh Cut), undrained
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat reduced-sodium tomato soup (such as Campbell's Healthy Request), undiluted
1 1/4 cups baked tortilla chips, crushed
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream (I omitted this and instead used 1/2 cup Mexican cheese)

Preparation
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 2 minutes. Add chicken to crockpot; add sauteed onion & garlic, and next 9 ingredients (corn through tomato soup) and cook on high for 4 -5 hours. Ladle soup into bowls; top with tortilla chips and sour cream (cheese).

Trader Joe's Cornbread

1 package cornbread mix
1 egg
1/2 cup oil (I used applesauce instead, which made it deliciously sweet and moist, and as an added bonus, lowered the fat/calorie content.)
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 8 x 8 baking pan. Mix egg, applesauce, and milk until combined. Add cornbread mix and mix until combined - do not overmix. Pour mixture into baking pan and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.