Mexicana Mama

After a recent babysitter cancellation, I decided no one was going to bring me down on a Friday night; so I ran to the market and whipped up a nice Mexican meal for two. I made homemade margaritas, spicy guacamole, and chicken enchiladas with roasted asparagus and refried black beans.  To finish it off, I served nutella-stuffed chocolate chip cookies sprinkled with sea salt. I had made them for Superbowl Sunday, it's not like I can just have those sitting around the house.  It was a meal to remember (even though I can't say I do).

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
8 soft corn tortillas

Filling:
3 cups chicken broth
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast, 6-8 oz
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 small onion, quartered
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/3 palm full
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt

Sauce:

2 cups tomato sauce

2 teaspoons hot cayenne pepper sauce, several drops

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 pinches

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 1/2 cups Monterey Jack shredded cheese, available on dairy aisle

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Wrap corn tortillas in foil and warm in the oven. Bring broth to a boil in a saute pan. Set chicken into broth with bay and oregano and onion. Return to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Poach chicken in broth 10 minutes. Remove chicken breasts to a bowl and shred with 2 forks. Add 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and tomato paste, spices and salt and work through the chicken using the forks.

Combine all sauce ingredients and heat through, keeping warm until needed.

Remove tortillas from oven and switch broiler on high.

Pile chicken mixture into warm corn tortillas and roll. Line casserole or baking dish with enchiladas, seam side down. Pour hot tomato sauce over the chicken enchiladas and top with cheese. Place in enchiladas in hot oven 6 inches from broiler and broil 5 minutes to melt cheese and set enchiladas.

PC: Annie's Eats
Recipe: Rachel Ray