The Whole Enchilada

I know this isn't really Mexican food. I am sure it isn't even close. But it makes a decent meal that my kids like and my husband loves. We aren't from Mexico so we don't really care if it is authentic. In fact, I buy my margaritas premade from a bottle too. Shameful? Maybe. Really yummy and potent? Definitely! Actually, if I were you, I'd skip the recipe below and just have the margarita for dinner.

Cream Cheese & Chicken Enchiladas

Adapted from Paula Deen Celebrates!

4 cups chicken, chopped

One 8 oz. package (1/3 less fat) cream cheese

One 10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup

One 4 oz. can diced green chilies, with juice (use two cans if you like a mild kick)

One 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

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10 (approximately) tortilla shells, 7-inch diameters

One 10 oz. can enchilada sauce

2-3 cups shredded cheese (I use Fiesta Blend, use what you like)

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Garnish:

3 green onions, chopped (include the pretty green tops too)

chopped cilantro

shredded lettuce

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pour a little enchilada sauce on bottom of 13x9 pan to prevent sticking.

2. Combine first 5 ingredients and scoop 3/4 of mixture into each tortilla shell. Roll shell and place enchiladas side by side in dish.

3. Pour remaining sauce over entire dish of enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.

4. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes.

5. Sprinke tops with lettuce, cilantro and green onions and serve.

Note some changes to the original recipe:

~ I only use one can of green chilies because of the kids, but if I was making it for myself I'd...well...I'd probably just go to a real Mexican joint and forget about this pseudo-Mexican-home-cooked-bologna. Or I'd stick to the original recipe and use 2 cans of green chilies plus add some jalapenos and habaneras for good measure.

~ The original recipe calls for 6 cups of cheese. Yes, I said SIX cups of cheese. Do you think that was that a type-o in the cookbook I used? I am sure it is delicious that way, but I like my ass to fit on this chair while I pound out this delicious blog entry. I sprinkle maybe 2 cups of shredded cheese over the top. It's enough to cover the whole enchilada (and then some).

~ And don't forget the most important ingredient to this meal. See below.