Make Ahead Chicken Black Bean Enchiladas
Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Yields: 6 – 8 Servings
Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market
Enchilada sauce:
7 tablespoons chili powder (note that chili powders vary in strength, so you may want to start with less and add more to taste)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano*
1 teaspoon garlic*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt (less if using salted stock)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups turkey or chicken stock
Enchilada filling:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped*
3 cloves garlic, minced*
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers (1 for mild, 2 or more for spicy), seeded and minced*
3 cups cooked turkey or chicken meat, chopped*
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained, or 2 cups homemade black beans
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro*
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1 to 2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
8 to 16 flour tortillas, depending on size and thickness
Garnishes:
Chopped red onion
Chopped avocado
Chopped fresh cilantro*
Sour cream* or crema fresca
Iceberg lettuce*, thinly sliced and sprinkled with salt and vinegar
Directions:
Make the enchilada sauce:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, cinnamon, ground cloves, sugar, salt, and flour.
Heat olive oil on medium heat in a cast iron pan (or other thick-bottomed sauté pan). Add the spices and cook for a minute or two, until fragrant.
Slowly whisk in the stock, until smooth. Let come to a simmer, and cook for a minute. Then, remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
Prepare the filling:
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and jalapeños and cook until the onions are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Remove from heat.
Place onion mixture in a medium mixing bowl. Mix in the cooked turkey meat, the beans, 1 cup of the grated cheese, 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice, and 1/2 a cup of the enchilada sauce. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt, or more to taste. Set aside.
Assemble the enchiladas:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the pan with the enchilada sauce on medium heat. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish (Pyrex works well).
Working one at a time, dip the flour tortillas in the sauce to coat them on both sides. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little water.
Place the tortilla in the casserole dish and place anywhere from 1/4 of a cup to 1/2 cup of the filling in the middle of the tortilla.
Roll up the tortilla around the filling and place it in the casserole dish. Continue to roll up the rest of your tortillas until they fill the casserole dish. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake the enchiladas:
Place in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the enchiladas are heated through and the cheese has melted.
Sprinkle with lime juice, serve with garnishes:
Sprinkle with a little more lime or lemon juice before serving. Serve with chopped red onion, chopped avocados, fresh cilantro, sour cream or crema fresca, and thinly sliced iceberg lettuce that has been dressed with vinegar and salt (no oil).
This week’s article: Fall at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market
Fall Market News:
- Monday Market Last Day – Monday, October 13th
- Howling Halloween – Saturday, October 25th
- Last Saturday market at High Rock – Saturday, October 25th
- Last Wednesday Market at High Rock – October 29th
- Holiday/Winter Market Starts – Saturday, November 1st at Wilton Mall
The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is open:
Mondays | 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Shenendehowa Methodist, Route 146 Clifton Park
Wednesdays | 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturdays | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
High Rock Park, Downtown Saratoga Springs
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