Never Ending Chicken Enchiladas

The following suggestions will make a huge number of different kinds of "enchiladas". They are all made using flour tortillas, but you could substitute crepes if you are more ambitious.

The first recipe is the original I came up with. I like to keep these ingredients on hand for emergency meals.

Each recipe makes four enchiladas. They can be doubled or tripled, but you would have to heat them 5-6 at a time, unless you can think of a way to do this in an oven without burning.

Ingredients:

• 1 (5 oz.) can of cooked chicken or turkey (or leftovers)
• 1 (8 oz.) block or 8 oz bag of shredded Colby cheese. Block cheese melts best sliced lengthwise along the longest side (about 1/4 inch thick)
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced and chopped.
• 1 12 count package of flour tortillas (about 10 inch diameter)

Toppings (any combination or single):

• sour cream (I prefer the "Real" brands of sour cream. Look for the little red water drop symbol with the word Real inside it.)
• salsa, whatever heat you like. You can add at individual plate and each can use their own preference of heat.
  Advertisement

  
  
• guacamole
• green chilies
• refried beans, warmed first

Directions:

Stir any broth in the can of chicken in with the meat. Lay one tortilla out flat. Place approximately one fourth (1/4) of the can of chicken in a line across the center of each tortilla. Place sliced cheese across the tortilla, over the chicken, using enough pieces to cover the chicken - lengthwise only - or sprinkle the grated cheese down the line of chicken. Grated cheese doesn't seem to melt as well as the sliced. Add approximately 1/2 teaspoon of finely chopped onion down over the top of cheese. Fold tortilla over into thirds. Wet your fingers with water and "sprinkle" into the dish (will create steam). Place in a square glass baking dish, seam side down. Sprinkle a little more water over them and cover with plastic wrap with a couple of slits cut in it to vent.

Microwave one minute or a little more, just long enough to melt the cheese. Serve immediately. Top with your preference of topping(s). Serve cooked rice or corn chips on the side, if desired.

Once you get the idea, you can create all kinds of different "enchiladas". Use a different kind of cooked meat, a different kind of cheese, add minced garlic or not, onions or not (onions and garlic can be raw, just very small or thin pieces so they cook quick). You can make a "sauce" or "gravy" with canned soup:

• Beefy mushroom soup with ground beef or chopped left over roast inside the tortillas and some kind of cheese of your choice
• Cream of mushroom soup with cooked beef and potatoes inside
• Cream of chicken soup with chicken and squash, broccoli, green beans/ or peas
• Cream of celery soup
• Nacho cheese soup with chicken, beef, or ham and onions, garli,c and Swiss cheese, cream cheese,or mild cheddar
  Advertisement

  
  
• Broccoli cheese soup with cooked broccoli and cheddar cheese

Just use the method for the chicken enchiladas and heat the sauce/gravy separately and top after at the table. I would suggest that you just experiment with variations until you find your favorites. These make great weeknight meals because you can use leftovers and it's fast. You can also feed in "shifts" if you have a large group to feed and they have to eat at different times.

By LynnT from Conway, AR