photo by: John Young

Spinach and Chicken Enchiladas

Enchiladas can take on any form, and there’s rarely one that isn’t absolutely delicious. If you’re interested in moving away from canned sauces, there are many simple ways to create a restaurant-quality enchilada that comes from basic ingredients and some rudimentary know-how.

White enchiladas are a nice departure from the traditional, and can be made with ingredients that are likely to already be in standard pantry stock. Some milk, flour, chicken, stock and vegetables are almost all you need to create a lovely and even somewhat-healthy dinner.

For these, I made a light cream sauce and employed a jar of green salsa for flavor, and added some spinach for fiber and color. A few bits of jalapeno add flavor and kick, but not so much that my kids can’t eat them for fear of heat.

White Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas
For the filling
3 large chicken breasts
1 jalapeno, minced
1/2 cup salsa verde
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, stems removed
Salt and pepper

For the sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper

Toppings
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
1 jalapeno, minced
Salsa verde as needed

Wraps can be flour or corn tortillas, though for this application I prefer flour.

Preheat your oven to 350 F.

Bring water to boil in a good-sized pot and cook your chicken. When it’s done, shred it and throw on a little salt and pepper. I shred mine with my standup mixer with the paddle attachment but you can do with forks or however it’s easiest for you.

Meanwhile, make your sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour. Slowly add the chicken broth, whisking constantly. Add the sour cream, milk and spices, and bring to a low boil to thicken, stirring often. This should not get too thick because you will want to dip your tortillas in it, and if it’s too thick, too much will cling. Thin with more milk if necessary.

Combine your chicken with the jalapeno and salsa verde in a bowl and set aside.

I make enchiladas in an assembly line. Get out a casserole dish, and assemble. Dip the tortilla in the cream sauce, lay it in the pan, fill with about 1/3 cup chicken filling, layer on several spinach leaves, and roll up with the seam down. Repeat. This will make about 8 enchiladas if you use medium-sized tortillas.

When they are all rolled, cover them with shredded cheese and bake until the cheese is starting to brown and bubble, about 20 minutes. Top with some more chopped jalapenos and some salsa verde, and serve.

You can add sauteed vegetables like squash or bell peppers to this, and of course heat it up with extra jalapenos, spicy salsa or hot sauce for those who prefer it.