Chicken and Rice Enchiladas

Enchiladas before being baked

 Chicken Enchiladas ~ serves a lot, as I almost doubled the original recipe so I could bring dinner to one of my friend who just had baby #4!






Ingredients:
- 4 to 6 chicken breasts                - 14-16 tortillas
- 1 can corn                                 - 1 large can enchilada sauce
- 1 can black beans                      -  1 cup (or more)  shredded cheese
- 2 cups salsa                                    cheddar or monteray jack
- 1 cup uncooked rice

Directions:
1. Option 1:  Place chicken in a deep skillet. Cover with salsa. Add a little water if needed to entirely cover the chicken. Place lid on skillet. Poach chicken over medium heat until chicken can easily be shredded.
1. Option 2: In the morning throw frozen chicken breasts into a crock pot (this time I used a combination of breasts and thighs). Cover with salsa. Add about 1/2 cup water.  Cook in crock pot 6-8 hours on low.
2. Prepare rice according to instructions on bag/box.
3. Shred chicken in large bowl (make sure to remove any bones/cartilage if you didn't use boneless). Add some of the salsa liquid.

4. Combine cooked rice, corn, and beans with the chicken. Mix well.

5. Warm up tortillas in microwave for 15 seconds.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6.  Spoon about a cup of the chicken rice mixture into the middle of the tortilla.  Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons over the mixture. 

7. Roll tortillas up. Place in baking dish, with the seam of the enchilada facing down.
8. Continue until all tortillas and/or chicken mixture has been used.
9. Cover with remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle cheese over enchiladas.
10. Bake for 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.

Ok, so I still need to work on my plate presentation! But they tasted great!

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream.  I quickly realized that I accidentally grabbed a can of spicy enchilada sauce- oops! The sour cream was very helpful for cutting the heat.  E loved it, J still thought it was too spicy.

I found a recipe online from a brand-name rice company and decided to tweak it a little. I think the next time I make it I will add some of the cheese to the chicken mixture. We like things cheesy!