Baked Chicken Cheese Enchiladas with Easy Enchilada Sauce

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 2 + tablespoons olive oil (do not use extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 2 + cups chicken stock
• 10 ounces tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Filling:
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 cups prepared salsa
• 2 cups grated Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• Salt and pepper
• 4 scallions or green onions, thinly sliced
• 12 to 14 soft round 6 to 8-inch flour or corn tortillas

Details

Adapted from copyright-free-images.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In medium saucepan or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil and then add flour, smoothing and stirring with wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add 2 cups stock, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Stir to combine. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. While sauce is cooking, place a little olive oil in skillet and cook tortillas on both sides to soften them a little before before rolling enchiladas, so they do not break up later. As the sauce cooks, it will thicken and smooth out. Add salt, adjust seasonings and add more chicken stock to thin out sauce as needed.

In medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in 1/2 cup salsa. Stir in 1 cup grated cheese. In second bowl toss together chicken, corn, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, and 1/2 of scallions/green onions. Add chicken mixture to cheese mixture and stir to combine.

In baking dish spread 1/2 cup salsa over bottom and half of enchilada sauce. Place about a 1/3 cup of filling on corn tortilla, roll up and transfer to baking dish with seam side down. Repeat process for remaining tortillas. Pour remaining salsa and sauce over enchiladas, spreading to coat all of them. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over top. Enchiladas may be prepared up to this point 12 hours in advance. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Enchiladas may be reheated in oven, covered with aluminum foil. Sprinkle with remaining scallions (I forgot to do this) and serve warm.