Friday, April 3, 2009

Chicken and Chard Enchiladas

I made this dish a lot last year and wasn't terribly eager to make it this spring. My taste for chard has been a little off this year and I was worried it would be too strong tasting. I made a few changes to the recipe, and ended up liking it just fine. I made my own tomato sauce to put on top. The past couple times I'd made enchiladas, I'd bought sauce, but it was too hot for the kids. This way, I could control the amount of heat that went into the sauce (as in, none). I used some of the leftover chicken I had cooked off the bone when I made the fennel and garlic roasted chicken last week. M and J ate this just fine and we have just enough left for an easy Saturday lunch today.

Chicken and Chard Enchiladas
1 lb chard, rinsed well and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
2 c cooked chicken
1 t cumin
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
2 c cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
8 flour or whole wheat tortillas

Mexican-style Tomato Sauce
4 1/2 c canned tomatoes, drained (1 35-oz can)
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 cloves garlic
2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and minced (optional)
3 T olive oil

Prepare the tomato sauce: In a food processor (or blender) chop the onions, garlic, and jalapenos. Puree the tomatoes with the onions, etc. In large skillet, heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the tomato puree and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper

Cut the stems from the chard leaves. Chop the stems separately from the leaves (enough stems for 1/2 c or so, discard the rest of the stems to avoid an overly strong chard taste). In a large skillet, saute the garlic in the oil over medium heat, stirring, until it is fragrant. Add the chard stems and 1/4 c of water cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the chopped leaves and cook, covered, for an additional 3 - 5 minutes, or until leaves are tender. Combine the chard with the chicken, cheese, cumin, and cilantro. Put 1/4 - 1/3 c mixture inside each tortilla and roll up (to soften tortillas microwave for a few seconds). Top with red sauce and 1/2 c additional cheese. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes in preheated 350 degrees oven.

1 comment:

Melani said...

Ooops! I just realized I posted this recipe back in December! :) Instead of deleting, I am leaving it because last time I didn't include the directions of making your own sauce or how to make it with a milder chard taste.