Chicken Enchiladas With Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

On Friday, we had some friends over for dinner. I made some Mexican classics that were based on recipes from Tyler Florence, but I gave them my own twists. The chicken breasts for the enchiladas cooked in the slow-cooker while I was at work. I used 1 cup of orange juice, salt, pepper, dried cilantro, and 1/2 cup butter with the six chicken breasts (I doubled the original recipe). Chicken Enchiladas, Yellow Rice, Black Beans, and Guacamole were served with Homemade Tortilla Chips.

Chicken Enchiladas
Olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1.5 pounds chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
10 flour tortillas
1 (8-oz.) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
Vegetable cooking spray
2 cups sour cream
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

1. Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil until tender. Stir in cumin and flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken stock, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Stir in half of tomatillo salsa, cilantro, and chicken; season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Pour a small amount of tomatillo salsa into bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon chicken mixture into center of each tortilla; sprinkle with shredded cheese. Roll up tortillas, and place, seam side down, in baking dish. Spread sour cream over top of enchiladas; top with remaining tomatillo salsa.
3. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Serve with additional sour cream.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
1 lb. tomatillos, husks removed
1 onion, cut into chunks
4 garlic cloves
1 jalapeño, seeds and membrane removed
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice from 1 lime

1. Place tomatillos and next 3 ingredients on a foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes.
3. Place tomatillo mixture and pan juices in food processor bowl; pulse until mixture is pureed. Pour into a bowl, and stir in cumin and remaining ingredients.

Yellow Rice
2 cups rice
4 cups water or chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. turmeric
1 bay leaf

1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Black Beans
2 cans black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles
1/2 cup orange juice

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil; reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed.

Guacamole
2 avocados, peeled
1 plum tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice from 2 limes
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place avocado in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Stir in remaining ingredients.