CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
The Spice Kitchen
by Katie Luber & Sara Engram
This cheesy casserole embodies all our favorite things about comfort food—well seasoned, but full of the down-home goodness of basic ingredients. This is a perfect casserole for a one-dish weeknight supper, a great backdrop for family conversation after a busy day at school and work.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
• 1 tablespoon canola or other mild-tasting oil
• 1½ cups diced onion (any variety)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1¼ cups chicken stock
• 1¼ cups whole milk
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup plus 1½ cups grated cheddar cheese, plus additional for topping
• Salt and black pepper
• 10 (6-inch) corn tortillas
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F, Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, oregano, cumin, and ancho chile pepper and cook, stirring continually, for 1 minute. Remove 1/2 cup of the onion mixture from the pan and set aside. Decrease the heat to low, add the chicken to the skillet, and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
While the chicken is heating, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Whisk in the chicken stock and milk and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and green chiles and the 1/2 cup onion mixture, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the Monterey Jack and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese melts. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Place 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Dip each tortilla in the remaining sauce. Place 1/4 cup of the hot chicken and onions, and 2 tablespoons of the cheddar cheese, in the center of each coated tortilla and roll up. Place the enchiladas seam side down in the baking dish. Top with the remaining sauce and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove the enchilada casserole from the oven and top immediately with additional cheddar cheese.
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