WIAW #62: White Chicken Veggie Enchiladas

This recipe came out of one of those moments in life when you say to yourself, "I have no idea what to make for dinner."

So naturally I make enchiladas....

I haven't done a "What I Ate Wednesday" in a while so for today I have only these babies to show you. I hope you like them. We've been eating a little carb-heavy lately so I figure this will be the last hoorah before I start exercising again. I just need to focus on the lovely Texas grapefruit I've been eating by the dozen instead of the chocolate rush from last week....

Honestly these aren't the quickest meal to make but they are one of the tastiest. When it comes to enchiladas its important to add what you like as you can really put anything in there within reason.

Because this was improvised, I was low on quantities of each ingredient so I decided to mix them all together to make veggie chicken enchiladas instead of only the latter. I love mushrooms and when properly cooked they add ugmami (savory) without the extra (more expensive) meat. And steamed cauliflower simply mixes in no one the wiser except for you...sneak in those veggies!

Aaron went nuts for these so I decided to record them as much for my own memory's sake as to share them with you. But trust me, your family will be fighting over these as well!

White Chicken Veggie Enchiladas

(Makes 10 enchiladas for 5-7 servings)

Ingredients:

10 small flour tortillas (or gluten free corn tortillas)

1 chicken breast or 2 cups cooked shredded chicken

1/2 head cauliflower including edible stock, roughly chopped

8 oz. mini bella mushrooms, 1/4 inch diced

 1 small yellow onion, finely diced

4 oz. can diced green chilies

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup beer such as corona

1 cup milk (2% or whole)

1 1/2 cup mixed Mexican cheese (optional mix with mozzarella)

1/2 block cream cheese, chopped

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

Garlic powder

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 tbsp. Flour

Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the chicken breast along with a drizzle of oil oil. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Allow chicken to cool slightly in order to work with it. Shred meat with a knife and fork into small strips. Set aside.

Set oven to 375 in order to bake the enchiladas.

In a large pan, add 1 tbsp. olive oil begin to sauté chopped onions until soft and translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add diced mushrooms and sauté until soft and beginning to brown.

Meanwhile mix cauliflower, punch salt, and 1 tbsp. water in a microwave-safe dish and cook for about 5 minutes until cauliflower is soft. Cook for additional 1-2 minutes if necessary. Once finished, mash cauliflower and add to pan with mushrooms once cooked. Sauté mixture for an additional minute. Add seasoning to taste (1/2 tsp. cumin, pinch chili powder, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder) add about 2 tbsp. of the cilantro, half of the green chilies, and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove mixture from pan, stir in a 2 tbsp. cheese and reserved chicken, set aside.

Wipe pan clean to begin the sauce. Return pan to heat and add butter. Once butter is bubbly, add flour and stir together until thick and pasty. Over low heat, Add milk, beer, and cream cheese and whisk together until thick. Lightly cook until beer taste is no longer forefront.

 Add tomatoes and stir to incorporate letting them wilt a little until the skins become loose. Take off heat and add the rest of the chilies, some of the cilantro, and red pepper flakes. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Stir in about 2 tbsp. cheese.

When ready to assemble enchiladas, spoon about 1/2 cup of the sauce to cover the bottom of a greased large baking dish. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon equal amounts of the filling into the middle. (About 1/4-1/3 cup should do.) Carefully roll each tortilla tightly and place seam-side down into the baking dish. Make sure to make room for all ten enchiladas in the dish.

Cover the tortillas with the rest of the sauce, until all the corners are covered. Top with remaining cilantro and cheese along with more black pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese is bubbly, about 10 more minutes.

Allow enchiladas to set for about 5 minutes before serving with rice, beans etc..

Enjoy!