Have I ever eaten an enchilada? I’m really not sure. I’m a quesadilla or taco girl through and through. However, with some time on my hands, I found myself browsing through my Ina recipe collection and for some reason, the enchiladas just spoke to me. I’m glad they did and I think The Husband was even gladder. The flavors were new (thank you grocery stores outside of Switzerland!) and absolutely delicious. While there are a lot of steps to this recipe, it is incredibly easy to make and luckily, assemble ahead so you can just pop them in the oven when the working spouse returns from a long day.

Here they are, naked and afraid…

Baked to crispy, creamy deliciousness, they still aren’t the prettiest dish, but they served well and tasted better.

Ina’s Enchilada’s

For the chicken:

• 2 pounds of skin on chicken breasts/thighs
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt & black pepper

For the enchilada sauce:

• 2 T. canola oil
• 2 T. flour
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 T. chipotle powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 c. chicken stock
• 2x 14.5oz. cans of tomatoes (fire roasted if you can fined them) or add 2 tsp. Habenero chili paste if they are plain tomatoes
• 1 tsp. dried oregano

For the filling:

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper (or poblano if you can find it), chopped
• 1 small can of corn, drained
• 1/4 c. parsley, minced
• 7oz. (200g) creamy goat cheese

For the assembly and serving:

• 5 large, flour tortillas
• 2 c. shredded cheddar/spicy cheese
• Avocado, sliced
• Sour cream

For the chicken:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Pat and dry the chicken, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Roast chicken for 30 minutes, until a thermometer registers 140F.
4. Remove from oven and cover with tented foil, allowing it to cool.
5. Once cooled, remove skin and bones from chicken and shred with fingers or a fork. Set aside.

For the sauce:

1. Heat the canola oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Whisk in the flour for one minute to form a roux.
3. Whisk in the chili powder, chipotle powder, and cumin.
4. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced.
5. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, and 2 tsp. of salt.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove from heat and allow sauce to cool.

For the filling:

1. Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan.
2. Add onion and saute about five minutes, until just translucent.
3. Add the pepper and saute a few more minutes, until just soft.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the corn and shredded chicken.
5. Set aside.

For the assembly:

1. In a 9×13 baking dish, spread one cup of sauce in the bottom of the pan.
2. On a cutting board, lay one tortilla and spread 3 Tablespoons of sauce down the middle.
3. Spoon 3/4 cups of chicken mixture over the sauce.
4. Spoon 1.5 ounces (2-3 T.) of goat cheese over the chicken mixture.
5. Carefully, take a side of the tortilla and roll tightly.
6. Place the seam side down and set the enchilada into the tray.
7. Repeat with rest of ingredients, then top with any remaining sauce and sprinkle with shredded cheddar.

To bake:

1. Bake at 350F for 25-35 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and tortillas aren’t too crispy.
2. Serve with sliced avocado and sour cream.