We love Mexican food in this house, especially in warmer weather, so I learned how to make enchiladas early in life. I found that they are a very flexible food for fillings and not nearly as difficult to make as they look.
I won’t say that mine are authentic—I’m not Mexican—but I will say that they are tasty and pretty healthy. I add pinto beans to mine to give them a little nutritional boost. You can add seasoned or black beans if you like, or you can make your own. Or you can just leave them out.
I give you fair warning, though. Making enchiladas is a messy endeavor. The easiest way to do this is to set up an assembly line of sorts—you don’t have to have a bunch of people to help—you can do this alone. Line up stations for tortillas, sauce to dip them in, chicken, beans, chili peppers, and cheese, and have the pan ready to lay them in. I actually roll them up in the pan because not so messy.
I’ve always used canned enchilada sauce, but if you are ambitious, you can try to make your own. As far as chicken filling, you can use rotisserie birds that are available at the supermarket, grilled chicken, or you can try the recipe below.
Your cheese can be the authentic queso fresco (nice and melty!) or a package of your basic Mexican blend in the dairy aisle of your local market. I’ve made these numerous times, and they may come out slightly different each time, but they’ve always come out absolutely tasty.
This serves 8, so if you need more, it’s easy to multiply. If you want to freeze some, they do really well.
Easy Chicken & Bean Enchiladas
- 2 cups shredded chicken (see recipe below)
- 8 flour tortillas
- 1 19 oz can enchilada sauce
- 1 20 oz can of pinto beans, drained
- ¼ cup cilantro
- 1 7oz can green chili peppers, drained and sliced into strips
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- Garnishes: thinly sliced scallions, sliced olives, and/or cilantro
For the Shredded Chicken
(Adapted from isabeleats.com)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt & pepper
- ¼ of a large white onion
- 3-5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano
- Water
Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in a large pot or Dutch oven along with the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and oregano sprigs. Cover all the ingredients with cold water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the chicken for about 20 minutes or until cooked through. A meat thermometer should read 160º.
Transfer the chicken to a bowl or plate with a slotted spoon and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Taking two forks, shred the chicken. Set aside for the chicken enchiladas. If you are cooking ahead, add 1 cup of the cooking water with the chicken in the storage container.
Save the cooking water for soup—it’s halfway there!
Making the Enchiladas
Set up your assembly line to put the enchiladas together. The first station is a large dish or shallow bowl with enchilada sauce. Have the tortillas ready nearby. The second is a bowl of beans with the cilantro mixed in, the third is a bowl of the chicken, and lastly, don’t forget the cheese.
For each enchilada:
Dip a tortilla in the sauce, then lay it out in the bottom of the pan (trust me, it’s way neater this way).
Place some chicken, beans, and a chili pepper slice or two in the middle of the tortilla, then add the cheese. Fold the sides over the filling, then fold and roll until it’s nice and neat. Place it seam side down and repeat until done.
When the baking pan is full, pour the remainder of the sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over all.
Bake at 350º F for 30 minutes. Serve with a salad, chips, salsa, and guacamole, perhaps a margarita, and enjoy Cinco de Mayo!
