One thing I've really missed during this quarantine is Mexican food paired with a delicious margarita! I love having dinner and drinks with my friends on the patio of a Mexican restaurant, and just relax and laugh.
My childhood friends and I enjoy getting together regardless, even if you can't go to a restaurant here are so wonderful dishes that you can make at home. I hope you enjoy! Cheers!
Chicken Enchiladas
For the enchilada sauce:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tablespoons chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
For the chicken:
1 tsp vegetable oil
9 ounce cooked shredded chicken breast, from 2 small breasts
1 cup diced onion
2 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup cilantro
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
For the enchilada:
8 7-inch tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
Non-stick cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped scallions or cilantro for topping
In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chilies, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it.Place on baking dish seam side down, top with sauce. Then top with cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Top with sour cream or scallions if you wish. Makes 8 enchiladas.
Mexican Pinto Beans
1 pound dried pinto beans
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup minced cilantro
3 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium yellow onion, left whole
1 (4.24-ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 whole jalapeño
2 tablespoons chicken or vegetable bouillon, Better than Bouillon
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Topping:
2 medium vine tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/4 medium red onion, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup minced cilantro
3 ounces queso cheese or mozzarella, diced 1/4-inch
8 ounces sliced avocado
Lime wedges, for serving
Tortillas, optional for serving
Soak the beans overnight in water. Discard the water the next day.
Set pressure cooker to sauté, add the oil and chopped onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic, 1/4 cup cilantro and cook 1 minute. Set aside in a bowl.
In the pressure cooker combine the soaked beans, green chilies, jalapeño, half onion, bouillon, bay leaves and 6 cups water. Cover and cook high pressure 45 minutes.
Natural release. Discard bay leaves, half onion and jalapeño and stir in the reserved sautéed onion and season with salt.
Press sauté and cook uncovered until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, combine the tomato, red onion, scallion and cilantro in a small bowl.
Ladle beans into serving bowls, add the cheese and top with tomato mixture and avocado. Serve with lime wedges and tortillas if desired.
Jalapeño Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, minced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 (28 ounce) can green enchilada sauce
7 flour tortillas
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Season chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Place into a baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the juices run clear, about 45 minutes. Allow chicken to cool, and shred with two forks. Set chicken aside.
Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion and jalapenos until the onion is translucent, about five minutes; stir in the cream cheese in chunks, and allow cream cheese to melt and soften. Stir in cream cheese, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder, and cumin. Mix in the cooked chicken meat; remove from heat.
Pour half the green enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Lay tortillas out onto a work surface, and place chicken mixture in a line down the center of each tortilla; sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of Monterey Jack cheese per tortilla. Roll up the tortillas, and place into the sauce in the dish, seam sides down; pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle remaining 4 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is hot and bubbling and the cheese has melted, 30 to 35 minutes.
