Stinque Recipe Challenge

Roasted a chicken last night and decided the leftovers needed to be turned into chicken enchiladas:

There are about 436.3o4 recipes for enchiladas on the internet, so I made up my own after reading most of them. First, dice a medium yellow onion and fry in canola oil until close to translucent:

Towards the end add 2 tablespoons of esplenette pepper, toss, then add 1/2 tbsp of chili powder.

Then I threw in a half a handfull of freshly chopped parsley, a bit of dried parsley, and half a can of chicken stock.

and cooked it down, then threw in the leftover white-meat chicken (maybe 1.5 pounds) and salted to taste:

Filling done, so time to prep the tortillas – canola oil and a half teaspoon of chili powder to quick fry them:

Fry ’em on both sides for about 10 seconds, then remove to a layer of paper towels.

cooked 12 of ’em, needed 10 for the amount of filling I had:

Fill ’em and roll them up:

Wound up with 10 in a 13.5 x 9.5 inch Pyrex:

topped with a can of enchilada sauce (Old El Paso, natch) and a cup of NYS cheddar cheese (also natch), bit of salt and white pepper on top:

and baked (and, I can say, delicious) – wow, a recipe I worked out on my own that worked out:

Try it and let me know what you think.

28 Comments

Mmm. I’m hungry. My wife also makes enchiladas with leftover chicken, but it’s a little more “canned” than this. I may have to commandeer the kitchen with this preparation next time.

@libertarian tool: only change I would make is leaving out the chili powder in the frying oil … towards the end it made a burnt taste. Otherwise, I think I done good.

Corn tortillas next time dude, otherwise they are rolled burritos.

@blogenfreude: @redmanlaw: And really, Spanish peppers? I’d go with green chilies from RML land, or that trusty workhorse, the jalapeno.

@redmanlaw: Fairway had what Fairway had … I would have preferred corn, but it was basically choosing from 3 sizes of flour tortillas.

@blogenfreude: Okay, I have some opinions on this, because the only recipe I’m more known for besides my chili is my enchilada recipe. Mr. SFL does a happy dance when I get my shit together to do enchiladas.

I use the same basic baked casserole approach that you did, but you made it way more complicated than you needed to. I have an enchilada recipe (it’s more an approach than an actual recipe) that can be altered depending upon meat on hand (or non meat – mushrooms and spinach can bulk out the filling) and needs. You can mix the peppers, onions, meat, black beans all together before rolling. I’d also recommend using chipoltes in adobo sauce cooked with the meat. And the Old El Paso Enchilada sauce – evil. Don’t need it if you use the adobo/meat sauce mixed with some water and flour and a jar of salsa. I also highly recommend putting cheese INSIDE the enchiladas. You do not need to warm up the tortillas beforehand – just at room temperature is enough, so cut out that step.

Chopped green onions, jalapenos, and olives mixed together and sprinkled on top of the cheese for each layer is awesome.

Oh, and you can never have too much cumin. Either in the meat or sprinkled on the cheese/olive/jalapeno/green onion layer.

And don’t listen to redmanlaw, flour tortillas are preferable because they are so much easier to roll up. Plus, corn tortillas don’t have that tasty lard that flour tortillas have.

Looks good… minus the cheez (this is one of those times when I miss cheez.)

It seems Whole (Paycheque) Foods has invaded Canada City. They have a place in a very posh part of the ‘burbs (where all the bankers live) that is about 25 minutes from where I live. My sister found it and took me there today. I spent a total of $30 on 4 measly small items and the other day I spent $30 on 10 at the regular grocers. I felt like a poor country goober among the Rich and Fabulous.

@SanFranLefty: thanks for the advice ..l next time my enchiladas will be better! Now on to a usable tamale recipe – I need that ….

@SanFranLefty: Schism! Another flash point: rolled v. flat.

“. . . flour tortillas are preferable because they are so much easier to roll up . . . “ “Oh, real-ly?” said Mrs RML. “Where’s she from?”

@blogenfreude: Tamales are so damn labor intensive that women I know only make them once or twice a year, but they make them by the gross.

Don’t make me walk down the hill to El Indio (“We are the birth place of the ‘Taquito'”) and ask them to settle this.

@nojo: I admit, we have some ‘food shortages’ here in NYC – like where in the fuck is a good taqueria?

In my accustomed role as peacemaker and the voice of reason and compromise on this site – let me see if I can arbitrate this dispute.

I went back to Mrs. Tool to source the tortilla’s we used on our last batch of chicken enchiladas, as I recall them being of a particularly good quality. This prompted an explanation of why I wanted to know, which required pointing to this post and the suggestion that I may be able to improve on the chicken enchiladas on the next go-round. Well… that did not go as well as I hoped, and it now looks like I’ll be doing all the cooking for a few weeks. But I digress.

Despite my spousal unit’s lack of cooperation, I believe I have tracked down the specific tortilla’s in question. The are La Tortilla Factory Hand Made Style of Tortillas , which as it turns out – are a corn wheat hybrid.

@libertarian tool: I may be able to improve on the chicken enchiladas on the next go-round.

Dude. Why not just tell her those pants make her look fat and be done with it? Enjoy the couch.

smoked = cooked, yes? Immabouttofindout. Bacon1

Whoa. What’s that Old El Paso shitinnacan? Boo!

@blogenfreude: The lack of taquerias in NYC is one of many reasons why I didn’t survive there. You need a tamale recipe? How much time you got? Cuz I have the 500 varying degrees of difficulty recipes. (Easiest: Go to the west side of San Antonio or the corner of 25th and Mission in San Francisco and look for their respective tamale ladies). Otherwise, tamales are a fucking clusterfuck of time nightmares. There’s a reason that they’re made once a year, preferably at Thanksgiving, when the whole family is around, and then cooked and sold a week before Xmas.

@redmanlaw: Rolled. Flour. Cuz that’s how we roll in Ess Ay. I don’t know what those crazy pants are doing out in Lubbock, other than wishing they had liquor licenses and some lard in their tortillas. Flat or rolled tortillas, can’t we all get along?

@libertarian tool: Tell Mrs. Tool she should demand that you make some pasta noodles from scratch, while you’re at it.

Sport TJ: WTF? It looks like it will be (1) Prommie and (2) Homofascist for the bracket win, unless libertarian tool‘s Kentucky wins?

P.S. Confidential to Tool – really, you should hang out here more than just in March.

@SanFranLefty: complex recipes? did you forget who you’re talking to? I’ve done French cooking to the nth degree, so smack me with it all.

All this talk of enchiladas and tamales has my stomach growling, and it is still an hour shy of lunch time. At least I have a good dhal baat to look forward to then.

Tamales have got to be one of my most foods on the planet. In Guatepeor, they sell these little mini tamales – all year round, as well – that are called chuchitos, or “little dogs” in the vernacular. They’re like White Castle burgers – half a dozen or so of them make a decent meal.

Three things concerning enchiladas from a native of Ess Ay:

1. Proper beef/cheese enchiladas are made with red corn tortillas. In a pinch, go with the more familiar yellow or white tortillas. Flour tortillas are for chimichangas.

2. An easier and healthier way to soften up the corn tortillas is to lay them on a cookie sheet, spray them with cooking spray, then heat in the oven at 150º for about ten minutes. I always look for ways to make the process less labor-intensive.

3. In our town, when you ask for chicken enchiladas, you will most likely get then served to you with a green chile cream sauce. Check out the recipe for chicken green enchiladas online.

Old El Paso? Psh. I use chili without beans from a can. The more generic, the better.

This is how you do it:

Sauce and Filling
* 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil or corn oil
* 1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
* 3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
* 3 tablespoons chili powder
* 2 teaspoons ground coriander
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon table salt
* 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
* 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4 thighs), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
* 2 cans tomato sauce (8 ounces each)
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
* 1 can (4 ounces) pickled jalapeños, drained and chopped (about 1/4 cup)
* 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups)

Tortillas and Toppings
* 10 corn tortillas (six-inch)
* Vegetable cooking spray
* 3 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese (3/4 cup)
* 3/4 cup sour cream
* 1 avocado , diced medium
* 5 leaves romaine lettuce washed, dried, and shredded
* 2 limes, quartered

Instructions

1. FOR THE SAUCE AND FILLING: Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and sugar; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until coated with spices, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce and 3/4 cup water; stir to separate chicken pieces. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and flavors have melded, about 8 minutes. Pour mixture through medium-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on chicken and onions to extract as much sauce as possible; set sauce aside. Transfer chicken mixture to large plate; freeze for 10 minutes to cool, then combine with cilantro, jalapenos, and cheese in medium bowl and set aside.

2. Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place tortillas on two baking sheets. Spray both sides lightly with cooking spray. Bake until tortillas are soft and pliable, about 4 minutes.

3. (fill, roll, blah blah) Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake enchiladas on lower-middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and serve immediately, passing sour cream, avocado, lettuce, and lime wedges separately.

This is the kind of passion I usually equate with discussions on how best to cook and serve baked beans on toast.

@Benedick AEA, AFTRA, SAG, DG.: Heh.

My GOD! If you like-a da blues, check out this dude, Seth Walker. He pulled out the Waits last night.

I make really easy enchiladas.

Poach a couple chicken breasts in white wine, with salt, pepper and a bay leaf; dice when cooled, then mix with shredded Vermont cheddar and diced green onion.

Roll up into enchiladas, place in baking dish, cover with tomatilla sauce, more shredded cheese, and bake.

Mmmmmmm!

@karen marie has her eyes tight shut: Mine are easy, too, when your sous chef is around.

Seriously, though, I’ve found that a Zyliss garlic press has changed my life. That and a microplaner – although I think pieces of me end up in the food on occasion.

@matador1015: Ess Ayy native? For realz?

I will now utter the two questions that all of us ask each other:
Where did you go to high school?
When did you graduate?

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