Cole and I both love enchiladas, but a lot of recipes for them are not super healthy, and this summer we are both trying to be a little more careful about what we are eating. After discovering the delicious goodness of goat cheese, I decided to whip up an enchilada recipe that takes calories and health into perspective, and came up with this dish. While it may not be slathered in queso dip, these enchiladas are a great substitute when you are craving Mexican cuisine but want to avoid typical calories that come with traditional cheeses.
Ingredients
2 lbs Chicken Breast
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Paprika
½ tsp Black Pepper
½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Dried Onion Flakes
⅛ tsp Ground Chipotle
½ cup Chicken Broth
10 Burrito Shells
1 Bell pepper
Olive Oil
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 can Green Chile Sauce
½ cup Crumbled Goat Cheese
Directions
1. Mix all of the spices together in a small cup, and divide the mix equally up amongst the chicken breasts. Rub the spices entirely into the meat.
2. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the slow cooker and place the spice rubbed chicken into the broth. Cook on low for 6 hours.
3. Once the 6 hours are done, use two forks to shred the meat apart. It should be very tender by this point and will break up with ease.
4. Cut a bell pepper apart so that it is in thin slices. This technique of cutting is also known as a Julienne Cut.
5. Pour a layer of olive oil into a small skillet. There should be enough oil in the pan that the entire bottom is covered, but it should not be a thick layer. I probably use about 2 ½ tbsp at most. Heat the oil over medium high heat.
6. Pour the pepper slices and minced garlic into the hot oil and cook until the peppers are tender and have a light sear on them. Use tongs to take them out of the hot oil.
7. Grease a 13×9 glass baking dish, then assemble each enchilada by putting about ⅓ cup of shredded chicken and four to six pepper slices in each burrito shell, and roll it up tightly, making sure to tuck in the ends. Pack the enchiladas tightly against each other.
8. Bake the enchiladas at 350 for 15 minutes. Do this before putting the sauce or cheese on top of them. This will allow the shells to get a nice crispy crunch to them.
9. Take the enchiladas out of the oven, shake the can of chile sauce well, and pour it over the top of the dish. Finally, crumble the goat cheese over the top of everything and bake for another 12 minutes.
This dish is best served with a side of black beans that are lightly sprinkled with cumin and chili powder. While the enchiladas are scrumptious on their own, a forkful of seasoned black beans with each bite adds a special touch. In addition, black beans are also a healthy, nutritious food, adding to the dietary standard of this dish.
Another bonus of this dish is that the chicken element can be prepped ahead of time and frozen for future use. Having the seasoned chicken at the ready for busy nights can allow this dish to be quickly assembled and made into a filling dinner even during the moments where life is a little chaotic. I always love recipes that allow me to be prepared for my busier times of the year.
Not concerned about calories, or just love cheese? Make up a batch of my queso dip and pour it on top of the enchiladas after they come out of the oven instead of using goat cheese.
Soup's On with Schallock 