Chicken picadillo enchiladas
8 Servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | tablespoons | Olive oil |
| ½ | cup | Diced (1/4 inch) red onion |
| ½ | cup | Diced (1/2 inch) red bell pepper |
| 6 | Ripe plum tomatoes; seeded and diced | |
| ¼ | cup | Coarsely chopped pitted green olives |
| ½ | cup | Golden raisins |
| ¼ | cup | Coarsely chopped almonds |
| 2 | tablespoons | Drained tiny capers |
| 1 | teaspoon | Dried thyme |
| ½ | teaspoon | Ground ginger |
| ½ | teaspoon | Ground cinnamon |
| 3 | cups | Cooked shredded chicken meat |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste | ||
| ¼ | cup | Coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley |
| 6 | cups | Marinara Sauce (see recipe) or other prepared tomato sauce |
| 16 | larges | Flour tortillas (about 8 inches in diameter) |
| 12 | ounces | Monterey Jack cheese; grated |
Directions
PICADILLO
1. For the picadillo, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, olives, raisins, almonds, capers, thyme, ginger, and cinnamon; cook, stirring, over medium heat another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Spread 2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a large shallow baking dish (or use 2 medium-size baking dishes each large enough to hold 8 enchiladas).
4. Spoon ¼ cup of the picadillo 1 inch from the edge of a flour tortilla.
Roll up and place, seam side down, in the baking dish. Continue with the remaining tortillas and picadillo.
5. Pour the remaining 4 cups sauce evenly over the enchiladas, then sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top. Bake until the top is slightly browned and the cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes 16 enchiladas or 8 entrée servings NOTES : When enchiladas are served in Mexico, they are often a bit heavy and meaty, but these chicken-filled tortillas are light and delicious and filled with the best flavors of the Mexican palette. Use chicken left over from a large roasted bird or poach some breasts for the filling. Olives and capers, with their briny bite, play against the flavorful sweetness of cinnamon and raisins. Enchiladas are easily prepared ahead of time and baked just before serving.
Recipe by: Copyright © 1994 by Sheila Lukins Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #862 by MsRooby <msrooby@...> on Oct 24, 1997