Chicken Enchiladas

The first recipe I ever made up on my own came from a craving I was having for chicken enchiladas. This was a while before I really got into cooking. I was craving these enchiladas from a restaurant I loved and wondered how they made them taste so good. So one boring day, I decided to try the crazy idea I had of how they might do it and to my pleasant surprise, it turned out quite nice! This recipe is by no means gourmet or authentic, but I have to say it does get some great reviews when I make it for other people. It's a pretty quick and easy recipe, not many ingredients and certainly no complicated ingredients. It's a good, comforting supper that is crowd pleaser. Get creative with the toppings. I like sour cream, tomatoes and maybe some guacamole (see Superbowl Guacamole post for recipe). Serve this with Spanish rice and tortilla chips, and you've got yourself a Mexican fiesta! Ole!

Chicken Enchiladas

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into fourths
1 package tortillas (you'll need about 6 to 8 depending on size - use fajita size or burrito size)
1 package shredded cheese
1 can enchilada sauce
1 package taco mix (or make your own blend with cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder)
assorted toppings of your choice

In a large pot of boiling water, simmer seasoned chicken breast pieces for about 10 minutes or until just under cooked. Drain water and shred chicken pieces with two forks. Place shredded chicken in bowl and sprinkle with taco seasoning mix and add about 1/4 cup water or enough water to make a moist marinade. Let chicken marinade about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray. Place about a tablespoon or two of enchilada sauce on bottom of dish. Put about a good handful of chicken in the center of a tortilla. Don't overfill because you need to roll it without it spilling out. Sprinkle cheese on top of chicken and roll tortilla. Place tortilla seam side down in baking dish and repeat with remaining chicken mixture and tortillas. Pour enchilada sauce over enchiladas and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top of each enchilada and bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted on top. Top with assorted toppings.

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