after the enchiladas diablo debacle, i had to redeem myself.  i knew annie wouldn’t let me down.  full of flavor.  way less heat.  that can be a good thing, i’ve learned.

from annie’s eats

1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded & finely chopped
1 tsp canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder (REGULAR chili powder, we’ve learned our lesson.  i mean i have learned my lesson.)
2 tsp cumin
1 tablespoon sugar
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tomato, seeded & chopped
salt & pepper, to taste
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas

1.  combine onion, jalapenos, & oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  cook until soft, about 10 minutes.  stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin & sugar.  cook just until fragrant, like 30 seconds.  add the tomato sauce, water & tomato.  bring to a boil, reduce to simmer & cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

2.  nestle the chicken breasts down into the sauce.  reduce the heat to low.  cover and cook until the chicken is done throughout, anywhere from 12-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.  remove the chicken & set aside to cool.

3.  strain the remaining sauce through a fine mesh strainer, pressing down on the solids to get out as much liquid as possible.  let it drip into a medium size bowl.  add the solids to a large bowl.

4.  shred the chicken & add to the onions & such.  add 1/4 cup sauce, 1/2 cup cheddar,  1/2 cup jack & cilantro.  combine.

5.  preheat oven to 425°.  spray a 9×13 baking dish.  stack the corn tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 45 seconds, or until soft & pliable.  add 1/3 cup chicken mixture in a line along the center of the tortilla.  roll and place seam side down in the baking dish.  repeat with remaining ingredients.  when finished, spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray.

6.  bake, uncovered for 7 minutes when the tortillas start to brown a little bit.

7.  reduce temperature to 400°.  pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the enchiladas.  sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.  cover with foil & for 20 more minutes.

8.  remove the foil & bake for 5 more minutes, allowing the cheese to brown.  let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

it looks like there are a lot of steps, but they’re really not at all hard.

we made them in two smaller baking dishes & froze half & weren’t too crazy about how the frozen ones reheated.  the tortillas were sort of crumbly.  so if you are planning on freezing them, i would just swap the corn tortillas for flour & you should be golden.