Creamy Green Chicken Enchiladas

Creamy Green Chicken Enchiladas

makes 8 enchiladas

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Filling:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 4 cloves garlic

• 28 can green enchilada sauce

• 1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema

• 1/4 - 1/2 cup freshly chopped chilantro

• 1 teaspoon msg (optional, but recommended)

• salt and pepper to taste

Additional Ingredients:

• 2-4 cups shredded cooked chicken

• 2-4 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided

• 8 flour tortillas (8-inch diameter)

Optional Garnish:

• chopped fresh cilantro

• Mexican crema (table cream), sour cream, or creme fraiche

• diced onions, tomatoes, black olives, jalapeño, avocado, pico de gallo, etc

Directions

To Make The Filling:

1. In a 6-quart or larger pan, heat the oil and garlic together until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Immediately add the green enchilada sauce and stir to combine; heat until the enchilada sauce starts to simmer.

3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sour cream and optional msg until well combined; taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

4. Remove 2 cups of the sauce and reserve.

5. Stir the shredded chicken and 2 cups of the shredded cheese into the remaining sauce.

To Assemble The Enchiladas:

1. Spray a 9x13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. Spread 1/2 of the reserved sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.

3. Fill and roll each of the tortillas with 1/8th of the chicken mixture, and place in baking dish, seam side down (see notes about tortillas below).

4. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining half of the reserved sauce.

5. Sprinkle 1-2 cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese evenly over the enchiladas; cover with foil (non-stick foil works particularly well for cheese-covered things).

To Bake the Enchiladas:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center of oven.

2. Place the baking dish on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, them remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted. If your baking dish is broiler-safe, a couple minutes under the broiler will help brown that cheese.

3. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes; garnish before serving.

Notes

• The MSG in this recipe is optional, but it adds wonderful flavor so I highly recommend it.

• You may want to consider frying your tortillas in a little oil (15-20 seconds per side) before filling, or toast them over an open flame or hot skillet - this will help keep them from getting soggy in the oven.

adapted from inspiredtaste

Southern Swamp Soup

As far as I’m concerned, it’s always soup season, but I especially love making soup when there’s a crisp chill in the air. This particular soup is extremely hearty and stands on its own, but serving a hunk of crusty bread on the side wouldn’t be frowned upon in my house.

Items used to make this recipe:

• canned collard greens https://amzn.to/4cQezCo (I like Margaret Holmes or Glory brands)

• Hoppin’ John https://amzn.to/40zzG4C

• Seasoned Blackeye Peas https://amzn.to/3PfXCrg

• Ro-tel tomatoes https://amzn.to/3NwDSiC

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Southern Swamp Soup

makes 8-10 servings

Printable Recipe

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 - 1 1/2 pounds Kielbasa, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 1 large onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

• 4 medium red, white, or gold potatoes, peeled and diced (not russet or Idaho potatoes)

• 28-ounce can seasoned collard greens, undrained

• 15-ounce can navy beans, rinsed and drained

• 14-ounce can Hoppin’ John or seasoned blackeye peas, undrained

• 10-ounce can Ro-Tel tomatoes, undrained

• 2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock (or try my delicious homemade stock)

• 12-ounces okra, cut into coins (fresh or frozen)

Directions

1. In a 6-quart stockpot over medium-high heat, saute the Kielbasa in the olive oil for several minutes, stirring frequently, until the kielbasa develops some wonderfully brown edges.

2. Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeños to the pot and cook for several more minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and the brown bits that were stuck to the bottom of the pot have loosened.

3. Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine - there should be enough liquid to cover all the ingredients; if not, add a bit more water or chicken stock.

4. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Notes

• The smoked sausage and canned goods provide enough salt in this recipe that you shouldn’t have to add any additional salt before serving.

• Be sure to use a waxy variety of potato that will hold its shape during the cooking process — avoid starchy varieties like Russet or Idaho potatoes, which will fall apart.

• You can substitute any cooked, smoked sausage for the kielbasa.

• If you can’t find canned collard greens, other canned greens may be substituted. I’ve tried several, but like collard greens the best.

• Here in the south, you can purchase frozen okra at the grocery store, but you can also freeze them yourself during the summer months when you find them at the farmer’s market. Purchase whole okra that are no more than 4 or 5 inches in length. Wash, trim, and cut them into coins; then freeze in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan (no need to blanch first). Transfer the frozen coins to vacuum sealed bags and stash them away in your freezer for use in soups and stews throughout the year.

adapted from allrecipes.com