Chicken Enchiladas

This dish is an all time family favorite. I realized that after moving to the mid-west, our options for good Mexican food were limited. I found myself making this recipe more than ever. With it's authentic flavor and spicy goodness, we can imagine ourselves eating out at our favorite California Mexican restaurant anytime.


Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves (or about 1 teaspoon minced garlic)
1/2 to 1 small can diced green chilies (about a 4 oz can)
2 to 3 large chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
4 cups shredded cheese (I use about 2 cups medium Tillamook cheddar and 2 cups mozzarella)
14 medium flour tortillas

Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch oregano
pinch cumin
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth (or 2 C. water & 2 t. chicken bullion)
1/2 can El Pato tomato sauce*
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar

*If you can't find the El Pato tomato sauce, just substitute with 1/2 cup plain tomato sauce.




Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin by sautéing one medium onion with 2 cloves of garlic. Lightly season with fresh ground pepper and kosher salt. Cook until onions are tender. (About 10 - 15 minutes on medium/low heat.) Add 1/2 to one whole can (4 oz.) diced green chilies. Cook for an additional minute. Add 2 to 3 large cooked & shredded chicken breasts. Combine all ingredients well. Turn off heat and set aside.




In a small sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, pinch of oregano, pinch of cumin. Stir and cook on medium heat constantly for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and combine well. Add 2 cups of chicken broth (or 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of chicken bullion). Stir constantly on medium heat until thick and bubbly. Add 1/2 can of El Pato tomato sauce. (El Pato can generally be found in the Mexican food section of your grocery store.) Add 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar. Stir well. Turn heat off. 

Add 1/2 cup sauce to chicken mixture. Combine well. Heat 14 tortillas, just until softened. (I heat them in the microwave for about 1 minute 30 seconds on each side in a bag.) One at a time, spoon a small amount of chicken mixture into center of tortilla. Roll tortilla up as tightly as possible. Pour remaining sauce over top and spread out evenly (be sure that no tortilla is left untouched.) Add cheese and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream.