Tex-Mex Entree

Chicken Enchiladas
(Serves 10)

Enchiladas (see the sidebar) can be made with any number of fillings. Ours are made with chicken and are tasty indeed!

12 corn tortillas
2-4 T oil (divided)
1 medium onion (chopped)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 large clove garlic (minced or crushed)
4-oz. can chopped green chilis (see sidebar)
2-3 C cooked chicken (chopped or shredded)
5 tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
1 pt. sour cream
2 C Monterey Jack cheese (divided)
salt

Sauce: in a large saucepan, saute onions in 2 T oil till soft. Add oregano, coriander and garlic, cooking 2 more minutes. Add chilis, chicken, and tomatoes. Stir in sour cream and 1 C cheese, allowing cheese to melt.

Tortillas: in a skillet, heat a small amount of remaining oil, fry tortillas, one at a time, 2 minutes on each side. Use as much oil as you want (or very little—it’s more important simply to heat the tortillas to bring out the flavor). Layer on paper towels.

Assembly: preheat oven to 350. Dip each tortilla into chicken-sour cream mixture, coating it. Then fill the tortillas with spoonfuls of the chicken mixture, roll, and place in a lightly oiled 9 x 13 casserole, packing them closely together. Top with any remaining sauce, and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese. Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes.

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Tips & Glossary

Plenty of heat! For many that’s the pleasure of Tex-Mex food. But if you’re sensitive to throat-burning, eye-popping peppers, then turn the heat down—just reduce the peppers.

• Chili Powder: dried ground chili peppers typically mixed with cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. You can make your own blend, adding cinnamon, cloves, coriander, paprika, and nutmeg. Briefly heat dried peppers in a skillet to release flavors, then grind them into powder.

• Chorizo: a spicey pork sausage. OurTex-Mex recipes use the Mexican version—fresh pork which is cooked before eating. Spanish Chorizo is cured, ready to eat like pepperoni. If unavailable use a hot Italian sausage.

• Chili Pepper: any small hot pepper, as opposed to larger, milder bell peppers; includes, cayenne (red), chipotle (smoke-dried jalapeños), habanero, jalapeño, paprika, poblano, serrano, and tabasco.

• Chimichanga: a deep fried tortilla, filled with rice, beans, cheese, or meat, and folded into a rectangular packet. It's thought to have originated in Arizona.

• Coriander: also known as cilantro and Mexican or Chinese parsley. Both fresh leaves and dried ground seeds are used in Mexican, Mid-East, Asian, and Indian cuisines.

• Cumin: an aromatic kin to the parsley and carrot plant; an important ingredient in chili powder. Used especially in Indian curries, but also in Mexican, Thai and Asian dishes. It has an earthy, peppery flavor.

• Enchilada: made using corn tortillas, dipped in a sauce, filled and rolled up. They are placed in a casserole dish, topped with sauce and cheese, then baked.

• Quesadilla: (kay-sa-dee-ya), literally, “little cheese thing.” In Tex-Mex cooking it has come to mean a sort of grilled cheese sandwich, using two tortillas filled primarily with cheese, grilled in a skillet or griddle, then cut into wedges.