#30 Learn to make excellent chicken enchiladas

Status: I am well on my way with this way thanks to EH. Being in Colorado means that there is no excuse for not trying out the recipe that EH shared with me. The grocery stores actually sell corn tortillas here (compared with Edmonton where I find it harder to come by them) and fresh roasted chilies are to be had. I made the Lazy Woman’s Enchilada casserole two weekends ago with the help of my Mom and SV with modifications for my parents’ tastes (e.g., no cumin – which I would use lots of for myself!!!).

Here is Ellie’s Lazy Woman’s Chicken Enchilada Casserole:

INGREDIENTS:
cooking oil
1 onion chopped
2-3 cloves garlic minced
8-10 roasted green chilies peeled & minced (2 chilies per person)
1/2 to 1 tsp oregano
2 shakes of cumin
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can evaporated milk (can also use some half & half or light cream for a more decadent version. Or milk and cream if you don't have evaporated milk)
Grated cheese-- lots- a few cups grated maybe?. mmm...
15-18 corn tortillas***

>In med/large sauce pan, saute onion and garlic in a couple tablespoons oil on med heat until onions are soft/translucent.
>Stir in chiles, oregano, and cumin. Cook for just a bit (a min or two) to let flavors meld.mmm....
>Add cream of mushroom soup and evaporated milk gradually, stirring constantly.
>Allow to simmer at least 15 minutes while stirring frequently!**
> if sauce is too thick, add milk a little at a time to desired consisency. If it gets too thin just let it simmer a bit longer.

For chicken enchiladas, you simply need shredded chicken:

Boil chicken (breasts, parts, whole chopped up-- what have you) with 1/2 chopped onion, oregano, couple cloves garlic, and 2 bay leaves. Cover chicken with water or broth and simmer until chicken is tender and falling apart (30 min-1.5 hr? depending on chicken amount). Remove chicken and use fork to shred apart.
**You can add some of the shredded chicken to the sauce and allow it to simmer longer, if desired. Save most or all of the chicken for the actual enchilada assembly.

>Add half of cheese into sauce and allow to melt. Tear 15-17 tortillas into 'chip size' pieces. Lightly sauté tortilla pieces in large frying pan-- usually in 3 batches. Pieces should become soft, and never fry hard. Keep heat medium-low to reduce hard frying.
>In rectangular casserole dish, layer cheesy sauce, batch of tortilla pieces, (and chicken, optionally), sauce, tortillas, chicken, etc. End with sauce, and cover the top with the other half of the shredded cheese.

>Bake in 325 oven (or so) until heated through and cheese on top is melty. (if it gets too burn-y on top too quickly, cover dish with foil).