CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
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This classic Mexican dish is a favorite for families in Mexico and the United States. It can be made in a dozen different ways. Whether they're stuffed with beef, chicken, or cheese, drenched in a red sauce or a green sauce, an enchilada is basically a stuffed corn tortilla baked in the oven with a tasty sauce and melted cheese. The recipe below is for chicken enchiladas with red sauce. Try it out! 

  • 4 cooked chicken breasts (shredded)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 16-oz can of tomatoes
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. dried basil
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 2 ½ cups grated monterrey jack cheese
  • 1 ½ cups sour cream
  • 1 4-oz can of chile peppers
  • ¼ stick of butter
  • Vegetable oil
  • Cilantro
  • Head of lettuce


  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. In a large frying pan brown the onions and garlic in butter. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, cumin, oregano, and basil. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.

  3. While sauce is simmering, heat oil in a separate frying pan. Dip tortillas, one at a time, into the hot oil for 10 seconds, or just until limp. Do not overcook the tortillas or else they will be too difficult to roll. Drain the tortillas on paper towels.

  4. When sauce is finished simmering, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

  5. Mix the shredded chicken with ¾ cup of the tomato sauce.

  6. In a blender, combine the sour cream and the remainder of the sauce. 

  7. Spoon chicken mixture and two spoonfuls of cheese into the tortillas. Roll the tortillas and then place them in a large baking dish.

  8. Pour the tomato and cream mixture on top and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes, uncovered.

  9. Garnish with cilantro and shredded lettuce.

Serves 6

  

Family Cooking Tips:

When the family is in the kitchen ready to cook, children can help you get out the ingredients. Adults need to do any chopping, but older children might be able to measure the ingredients by themselves. Younger children  can count out the 12 tortillas.

It’s also easy for children to help with combining ingredients (like placing food in the blender and stirring the chicken, onion, and salt). Have children stay away from the stove as you fry the tortillas, but they can help put the dish together to be baked. Even young children can help spoon the chicken mixture on the tortillas and pour on the sauce. 

Finally, involve the children as the dish finishes baking. They can sprinkle on cheese, count down with the oven timer, and serve the dish to the family. 

 

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