Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Originally from My Kitchen Cafe. I used whole-wheat pasta and omitted the chilies because I could only find medium green enchilada sauce instead of mild. It worked great! You can garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions, or crushed tortilla chips. I didn't try any of these and still thought it was really good. Can't really go wrong with lots of sour cream and cheese!

Ingredients:
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) can green chili enchilada sauce
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce
1 can large black olives, cut into slices
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Cook the pasta until tender.
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion.
4. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent.
5. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender.
6. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives.
7. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes.
8. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!).
9. Pour the sauce over the hot pasta.

Chicken Fajita Tostadas

I got this from another blog. They are so delicious.

Chicken Fajita Tostadas

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 box frozen corn
1 cup prepared salsa (I made my own-- recipe at the bottom)
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast
6 corn tortillas
1 cup sharp cheddar


1. Preheat oven to 450. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. On foil combine sliced onions, peppers, frozen corn, and 1/4 C of the salsa. Drizzle with 1 T olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Move one of your oven racks into the highest position, right under the top broiler. Place cookie sheet on the top rack. Roast veggies, tossing occasionally-- until they are tender and lightly browned-- about 15 to 20 minutes. Add chicken and continue to roast an additional 5 minutes. Transfer chicken and veggies into a bowl and discard foil.

2. On the same hot cookie sheet, arrange tortillas and brush with remaining olive oil. Top with cheese and bake (at the same temp of 450) until edges are golden brown and cheese is very bubbly and melted, 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Top tortillas with chicken and veggie mixture, and then top with salsa.

3-4 Roma tomatoes
1/2 C cilantro
1/2 of an onion
1 jalapeno
1 lime
salt and pepper
Chop tomatoes, cilantro, onion, and seeded jalapeno. Toss in juice of 1 lime and season with salt and pepper.

Stacked Enchiladas

Originally from Kristin Ellis' blog who got them from someone else, I think. Apparently you can do green enchilada sauce with Monterrey Jack cheese, but I've never tried it. I'm sure it'd be great too though!

Ingredients:
6 Corn tortillas
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 (10 oz) can of red enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso medium)
2 cups cooked chicken pieces
1 cup sour cream
1/4 c chopped green onions
1 tsp. cumin

Directions:
1. Combine sour cream and cumin.
2. Add chicken and green onions and set aside.
3. Dip 1 tortilla into enchilada sauce - don't drain excess.
4. Place tortilla in round casserole dish.
5. Top with 1/6 of the chicken mixture, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup of cheese.
6. Repeat layers.
7. Before adding last cheese, pour any remaining enchilada sauce over all.
8. Top with cheese.
9. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Beef enchiladas

I have made these enchiladas with flour tortillas and corn tortillas. It's easier to make the enchiladas with flour tortillas, but I think corn tortillas taste better!

Beef Enchiladas
2 dozen 10-inch flour tortillas
2 pounds ground beef
1 ¼ pounds shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 tsp chili powder
½ cup salsa
2 (19 oz.) cans red enchilada sauce

1. Brown and drain ground beef.
2. Add chili powder and salsa.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Microwave tortillas in the package for 1 minute. (this makes them soft)
4. Place a serving of seasoned ground beef in the center of a tortilla.
5. Top with 2 Tb enchilada sauce and 2 Tb shredded cheese.
6. Roll tightly lengthwise and place in a greased baking (casserole) dish.
7. When the dish is full, dribble 1 Tb enchilada sauce along the length of each enchilada, and top with cheese.
8. Heat in the oven for about 20 minutes. (if tortillas start to get too crispy and the centers still aren’t hot enough, cover with foil until they’re done.)

Green Chili Burrows

Ingredients:

1 Roast

1 to 2 cans Diced tomatoes (better if they have green chilis in with them

Seasonings like: garlic powder, season salt, salt, pepper, and any other meat seasonings you like.

1 to 2 can of green chilis (depending on how hot you like it)

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Add probably 1 cup water. Let cook on high for like 5 hours and then check. If cooked, then take the roast out and shred the meat. Add the shredded meat back to the pot and simmer for 1 hour. Serve on tortilla shells. Serve with rice if you like. Also can top with cheese or sour cream. The roast can be cooked over night if you think it will be a tough one. Just to the roast and plenty of water and some seasonings. Cook on Low over night. In the morning if cooked take the roast out and shred it and then add the tomatoes and green chilies to the crock pot and meat. (Make sure to pick out any access fat in the crock pot before add the tomatoes and green chilies.) Simmer on low until ready to eat.

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs hamburger
1 chopped onion
1 15 oz. can pinto beans
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 15 oz. can kidney beans
3 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
2 Tbls. Taco seasoning
1 15 oz. can corn
1 1/4 cup water

Directions:

Put hamburger and onion in soup pot and brown meat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then add rest of ingredients and let simmer until flavors blend, about 1/2 hour. Top with grated cheese, corn chips, and sour cream. Can be frozen.

Southwest Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

3 halves-3 whole chicken breasts
1 cup chopped onion
1 med. Green pepper chopped
1 zucchini chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can Ranch style pinto beans, drained
1 can Bush's regular baked beans
2/3 - 3/4 cup mild Picante sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Cook chicken and chop into bite-size pieces, reserve. Cook onions, green peppers, zucchini, and garlic in 2 tsp. vegetable oil. Then add rest of ingredients except chicken. Simmer 20 minutes. Add chicken for the last few minutes. Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped grean onions, diced avocados and olives if desired.

Chicken Sonora

Ingredients:

3 lbs. chicken breasts, baked and chunked
1 dozen flour tortillas, torn into quarters
1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 lb. Cheddar cheese, shredded

Sauce:

1/2 cup mild taco sauce
1 can cream of Mushroom soup
1 can cream of Chicken soup
1 can chili without beans
1/2 cup milk
1 small can chopped green chili peppers
1 small onion, chopped

Directions:

(These ingredients will give you a bit more than you need. Use your best judgment when building this casserole so that it doesn't overfill your pan. ) Layer in a 9x13 un-greased pan: 1/2 chicken, 1/2 tortillas, 1/2 sauce, 1/2 cheese. Repeat layers. Place dish in jelly roll pan lined with aluminum foil to catch any drips. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes, until bubbles. Let sit for a few minutes before serving with sour cream.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can creamed corn
1/3 cup chopped green onions
3 Tbs. taco or fajita seasoning mix
2 cans (5oz) premium chunk chicken (you can use reg. cooked chicken)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup canned ripe olives, sliced (optional)
10-12 flour tortillas

Directions:

Mix first 8 ingredients using only half the cheese. Spread 1/2 cup chicken mixture on each tortilla. Roll up and place side seam down in a 9x13 baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas filled. Pour remaining mixture on top. Top with remaining cheese and olives. Microwave on high for 10-12 minutes or bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until heated through.

Cafe Rio Burritos

Title: Cafe Rio Salad Burritos

Ingredients:
SWEET PORK

pork roast
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 can coke
1 1/2 c. brown sugar

Place pork in crock-pot and fill it half way up with water. Cook roast on high for 4-5 hours. Drain off water. Shred and de-fat pork. Mix together ingredients (sauce, coke, brown sugar) and put on top of pork. Cook an additional 2 hours on high. Then set on low until ready to serve.


CILANTRO-LIME RICE

2 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 bunch fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


BLACK BEANS

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

CILANTRO RANCH DRESSING

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1 c. sour cream
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
salt, pepper
cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients together in the blender and chill.

Here is how to put it all together: Warm a large tortilla in a pan. Remove to plate and add shredded cheese, beans, rice, pork, then lettuce (I used a mix of red leaf and iceburg) If you have a little pico de gallo and guacamole, that is a bonus. Also some crunched up tortilla chips! Serve with the cilantro ranch dressing.

Mexican Chicken Haystacks

4 pounds cooked, cut up chicken

2 large onions, chopped

3 to 4 garlic cloves, crushed

3 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

2 (7-ounce) cans diced green chilies

3 (15 1/2 ounce) cans pinto beans, undrained

1 1/2 tablespoons oregano flakes

1 tablespoon cumin

juice of 3 limes (add just before serving)

Mix together and cook at 325 degrees in large roaster for 2 to 3 hours. Squeeze lime juice into mixture just before serving.

Serve with:

rice

corn chips

chopped tomatoes

grated cheddar cheese

guacamole

sliced olives

shredded lettuce

sour cream

salsa

Great for a crowd. This recipe serves 20

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
Marinade -
6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
8-10 flour tortillas (I used whole wheat tortillas)
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1. Whisk the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken in a Zip-loc bag.
2. Let it marinate for at least a 1/2 hour, but preferably a half day or so.
3. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.
4. Fill the tortillas with chicken, saving marinade, and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas.
5. Put tortillas in 9x13 pan as you go.
6. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (if there is any).
7. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas.
8. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.