This recipe originally came from a cookbook we bought at an antique shop's Tea Room. I have augmented it, but not completely altered it beyond recognition, so I hope they don't sue me.

Chicken Enchiladas

2 chicken breasts, 1 1/2 - 2 lbs.
vegetable oil
2 t. salt
1/2 t. ea. black and red pepper
1 T cumin
1 small to medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced, chopped, or pressed

4 oz. can diced green chilies
10 oz can green enchilada sauce
5 oz. can evaporated milk
8 oz. monterey jack cheese, shredded
12 corn tortillas
(optional) Mrs. Renfro's Green Salsa

  1. Poach chicken briefly in boiling water. It's okay if it's still a little pink in the middle; it will be cooked through in a moment.
    Note on chicken: If you're using the type of chicken breasts that come frozen in a 3 lb. bag, you'll want to use 3 or 4 rather than the two I listed in the ingredients. The recipe calls for 3 cups cooked chicken, but I always use a little too much of everything. A normal store-bought package of 2 chicken breasts works perfect.
  2. Remove chicken from heat. Run cold water over chicken until it's cooled off enough to cut. Cut chicken into the smallest pieces you can.
  3. Using 1 T. vegetable oil, saute onion and garlic for a few minutes. Be careful not to burn. Just before adding the chicken, add salt, black and red pepper, and cumin. Add chicken, mix well in the pan until all the chicken is done and everything is well blended. Remove from heat.
  4. Mix chicken mixture, chilies, and 1/2 the cheese in a bowl. Mix enchilada sauce and evaporated milk in another bowl.
    Note: To give this dish a little heat, add a couple of tablespoons of the hot green salsa to both the chicken mixture and the sauce mixture.
  5. Heat some vegetable oil in a pan. One at a time, fry the tortillas for a few seconds on each side, just until they soften. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate.
  6. Dip a tortilla in the sauce mixture, then place in a 9X13" pan. Put 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of the tortilla, then roll the tortilla around the mixture. The tortilla should end up join-side down in the pan. Repeat for each remaining tortilla. If there's any remaining chicken, stick it in the pan too.
  7. Pour remaining sauce over the tortillas, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Serve with sour cream and refried beans, or by itself, as it tastes incredible.

Mindy and I ate this for dinner last night and I just can't get over how great it is. I like the heat and Mindy doesn't, so after I do the first six tortillas, I pour half the sauce over them, then add the green salsa to the sauce and the chicken mixture, and make sure she knows which side of the pan is which.

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