Homemade Chicken Enchiladas!

Don’t even think about using store-bought enchilada sauce…we’re making it all from scratch! (Well, minus the tortillas…that’s for another day!) Get ready to dive into these incredible bundles of tastiness.

Ingredients (for the sauce):

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp AP flour
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Pepper, to taste

Ingredients (for the rest):

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 oz chicken breast, well seasoned, cooked, and shredded
• 1 cup diced onion (red or yellow)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup finely chopped broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
• 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• 6 oz spinach
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
• 1.5 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 flour (or corn) tortillas (8″)
• S&P

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. If you haven’t done so already, bake your chicken breasts in the oven at 450F for 15-18 minutes, then allow to cool before shredding
3. Prep the sauce by combining the flour and spices (chili powder to cinnamon) into a small bowl
4. Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a pot over medium heat until nice and hot
5. Once hot, add in the flour / spice combo and begin whisking for about a minute, until it becomes very fragrant
6. Add in the tomato paste and broth, and continue whisking until there are no lumps
7. Bring the sauce to a nice simmer and continue stirring / whisking for about 5 minutes, until it thickens nicely
8. Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar along with some salt and pepper to taste, then set aside
9. In a large skillet, heat the rest (2 tsbp) of the olive oil until hot
10. Add in the diced onion and stir constantly to avoid browning, cooking for about 5-6 minutes, until it becomes translucent
11. Add in the bell pepper and broccoli, and stir to fully mix together
12. Reduce the heat slightly and cover the skillet
13. Cook the veggies for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, being careful not to let any of the veggies brown – instead, covering the skillet should allow for a more steamed-like effect
14. Remove the cover and stir in the cumin and spinach (depending on your skillet size, you may have to add the spinach in batches but try to do it as close together as possible to ensure even cooking)
15. Cook until all of the spinach has wilted, then transfer to a large mixing bowl
16. Combine the beans, half of the shredded cheese, a few spoonfuls of the sauce, the chicken, and some S&P into the bowl with the veggies and mix well, until everything is very well incorporated
17. Grease a 9×13 baking pan, and then add about 1/4 cup of the sauce directly into the bottom of the pan, ensuring it thinly coats the entire bottom
18. To assemble the enchiladas, place roughly 1/2 cup of the veggie / bean / cheese mix into a tortilla and wrap it snugly, then place it on the pan with the seam side facing down
19. Do this with all 8 tortillas, setting them side-by-side in the pan
20. Drizzle the rest of the sauce on top of the assembled enchiladas, and then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top as well
21. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes
22. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes, as they will be piping hot!
23. Serve and enjooooooooy!