Chicken Enchiladas – Corn Black Beans

In my early days of cooking, I was introduced to the name Texas enchiladas. Instead of the usual filled and rolled enchiladas, the tortillas were fried, dipped in sauce, sandwiched with the filling, and then stacked in layers.
I haven’t been able to trace the exact origins of this version of enchiladas, but I think they are popular in northern Mexico, west Texas, and New Mexico.
Bottom Line: Delicious!
Ingredients for Traditional Enchiladas
In Mexico, there are as many ways to make enchiladas as there are cooks, and every family has its favorite recipe. Generally speaking, there are four components to a traditional enchiladas: the tortilla, the sauce, the filling, and the garnish.
Fried tortillas : In Mexico, tortillas are either dipped in sauce and fried briefly in oil, or fried until they are crisp and then dipped in sauce.

chicken enchiladas with corn and black beans

Here is a simple recipe for chicken enchiladas with corn and black beans:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.75-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the black beans and corn.
3. Spread 1/3 of the chicken and bean mixture in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with half of the tortillas, overlapping as necessary. Spread half of the remaining chicken and bean mixture over the tortillas, and then sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, chicken and bean mixture, and cheese.
4. Bake the enchiladas until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let the enchiladas cool for a few minutes, then top with the sour cream, cilantro, and green onions. Serve immediately.

I hope you enjoy this delicious and easy recipe for chicken enchiladas with corn and black beans!

Corn tortillas are preferred for enchiladas : because they have a lot of flavor and don’t fall apart when dipped in sauce, whereas flour tortillas are more likely to fall apart. The first method of dipping and then frying seems counterintuitive, but the sauce is often raw; After being dipped in a tortilla, it is literally fried in oil. That said, I prefer the second method because it creates a barrier and prevents the tortillas from becoming soggy and falling apart when they’re submerged in sauce.
Pureed Chili Sauce : The sauce can be made from any type of chili. Many peppers, such as poblanos and anchos, are usually dried for long-term storage and then reconstituted in hot water. In the sauce, dehydrated peppers are pureed with garlic and onions until smooth. It is not a thick sauce, but resembles the consistency of heavy cream. Once pureed, the sauce is often re-cooked in a little oil to blend the flavours.
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lots of filling option a wide rang of filling

sliced ​​meat, cheese, vegetables and beans—make enchiladas a versatile dish that lives up to its likely original purpose: to use up leftovers, including leftover tortillas. For.
• Fresh garnishes to go on top: Lastly, garnishes like cheese, radishes, coriander, crema (which resembles thin sour cream), sliced ​​onions, and scrambled eggs are just a few of the options available to the cook.

chicken enchiladas with corn and black beans

In my quest to replicate my friend’s recipe I thought about how to make the enchilada process faster and easier. Each component takes 8 to 12 minutes to complete and most can be prepared in advance.
• Baked (not fried) tortillas : I love the slightly chewy texture of a tortilla fried in sauce, but hate the frying part. Instead, I brushed them with oil and baked them, which gave them just enough crispness to hold together when dipped in sauce.
• Quick Sauce with Canned Tomatoes : This is a quick hack of the sauce – no dry chilies, just pureed chili powder with canned tomatoes, cooked in a large, deep skillet to let the flavors meld. It’s already in the saucepan, ready to dip the tortillas in.
• EASY VEGETARIAN FILLING : This quick filling made by heating canned beans and frozen corn in the microwave with a few onions is a no-brainer in terms of time and effort. Cooking onion with corn softens the hardness of onion. Add beans to heat until filling is hot. (If you want to make your own beans from scratch, here’s how.
• Choose some simple garnishes : I chose just a few of the usual suspects: avocado for creaminess, radishes and cilantro for freshness, and crumbled queso fresco for a salty, savory ingredient. If you can’t find it, substitute feta cheese, grated cheddar or Monterey Jack.

How to Serve Stacked Enchiladas

Enchiladas with Corn and Black Beans
Each stack needs to be assembled separately and takes about 2 minutes to put together.
If you don’t mind people starting to eat at different times, you can serve each stack as it’s finished.
Alternatively, you can assemble the stacks on a baking sheet and heat them at 350ºF for 5 minutes or until heated through. Add garnish just before serving.
If you like, put the garnishes in small bowls on the table so that dinner can pass.

Make-Ahead Enchilada Stacks

• You can make the sauce, bake the tortillas, and make the filling several hours in advance or up to a day ahead.
  Place the “fried” tortillas in a plastic bag, and pack the sauce and filling into separate containers. Store it all in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
  Reheat the sauce in a deep skillet, reheat the tortillas in a 350ºF oven for 5 minutes, and reheat the filling in the microwave. Prepare garnish at the last minute.