I was a subscriber when Food & Family was a free magazine put out by Kraft Foods. I hadn’t realized I needed a chicken enchilada recipe. But, when this delicious Chicken Tortilla Bake recipe appeared in one issue, it caught my eye.
With Clark being allergic to tomatoes, I knew some adaptations would need to be made before we could try it. I started by deciding what best to replace the salsa with. Then, I played with the recipe until I had something we all could enjoy. Now, my family requests these delicious chicken enchiladas and complains when it’s been too long since I’ve made them.
I make two pans of enchiladas. We eat one that night and enjoy the leftovers the following day.
White Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2-2 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 pkg frozen peppers and onion blend
- 1 packet fajita seasoning
- 1 cup miracle whip
- 1 cup flour
- 6 cups milk
- 1 tsp cilantro (optional)
- 2 (8 oz) pkg shredded cheddar, divided
- 2 pkg burrito-sized flour tortillas
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Spray two 13x9s with cooking spray.
In a large skillet, cook chicken in olive oil until no longer pink. Add peppers and onions and heat until no longer frozen. Drain any excess liquid and return the chicken and peppers to the pan. Add fajita seasoning and follow the directions on the packet.
Meanwhile, in a large two-handled saucepan, whisk together the miracle whip and flour. Over medium heat, while whisking constantly, slowly pour in the milk. Bring it to a boil while continuing to stir it constantly. Cook and stir for just a few minutes until the sauce has thickened. Stir in cilantro. Turn off the heat.
Pour in one 8 oz bag of cheddar cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese has fully melted. Remove from the burner.
Reserve three cups of the cheese sauce. Stir chicken and pepper blend into the sauce until well mixed.
Spread a light coating of reserved sauce on the bottom of the 13x9s.
Divide the chicken mixture among the 16 tortillas. Sprinkle with half a tablespoon of cheddar. Fold the shorter ends over. Fold the bottom up over the filling. Fold over the corners. Roll the rest of the way. Place 8 enchiladas in each prepared pan.
Cover the enchiladas with the reserved sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake in 375° oven for 25 to 30 minutes. The cheese will be melty, and the sauce will be bubbly. Let rest on the countertop for ten minutes before serving.
Cook’s note: Sometimes I have extra filling leftover–Clark makes sandwiches with it. Other times I’m scraping the bottom of the pot just to fill those last enchiladas.
ShldBWriting 