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Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas + Weekly Menu

With everyone in our family and extended families having had a busy August, it has been rather quiet in our guest quarters (coughcough, basement). However, we knew we’d get some visitors in September with the girls’ joint birthday party! That event was yesterday – phew.

Shea will be 5 on October 6th and Piper turned 3 on September 8th. Neither has had a true birthday party and as I type that out, I’m not quite sure what I mean by it, other than the fact that I’ve never been responsible for a child other than my own in celebration of one of my kids’ birthdays. I like it that way. Kids are exhausting and unpredictable and CRAZY.

So, we planned a joint kid-parent party at a local brewery that is extremely kid-friendly with great outdoor space. There was pizza galore (so much leftover!), cake (NONE leftover – it was SO good), and parents that were thrilled with the open bar and kids who were equally as excited about the goodie bags. Everyone wins!

After the party we returned to our house for more fun with the family – gifts, a walk, and of course some beer, chili, and football. Our Illini almost beat out Nebraska. ALMOST. Eye roll. Other than that last little bit, the day was amazing. Even the few sprinkles never slowed us down. If anything, the kids wanted to be IN the rain. Whatevs. I didn’t have to bathe them all J

Rewinding to Friday, we kicked off the birthday celebration weekend with a dinner out “to the restaurant with the chips” (the girls’ request) – a local Mexican restaurant. Despite Piper’s FOUL mood, it was quickly improved with…chips. #facepalm They will tear up some chips and salsa, let me tell ya! And for the rest of us? We’re always game for Mexican!

When I eat Mexican away from home, I often order the enchiladas because second to tamales, they’re perhaps the most labor-intensive dish to prepare. When I make enchiladas at home, I’m all for short cuts – rotisserie chicken, for example! This dish uses a quick salsa verde and the result is FAB! You will love! Birthday dinner worthy, for sure…if you’re up for cooking 😉


Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 14 enchiladas (7 servings; 2 enchiladas each)
 
Ingredients
  • 1 small red onion, divided
  • 1½ lbs tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  • 1 serrano chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, divided
  • 14 corn tortillas
  • 1 lb shredded rotisserie chicken (skinless)
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup crumbled queso fresco
Instructions
  1. Preheat the broiler to 550 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Peel onion and cut several slices to create a dozen or so rings of red onion; set aside for serving. Roughly chop the remaining onion and transfer to the parchment paper along with the tomatillos.
  3. Broil until the vegetables are soft and slightly brown, 7 to 10 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the vegetables and any liquid to a blender, add the broth, salt, sugar, and half the cilantro; puree until smooth. Spoon about ¼ cup of the salsa into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spread to cover the surface; set aside.
  4. Meanwhile, stack the tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave just until warm and soft, 1 minute; keep covered. Toss the chicken with 1½ cups shredded cheese in a bowl. Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla. Roll and place the enchiladas seam side down in the prepred baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture. Brush tops of the tortillas with olive oil. Broil until crisp and golden, 3-4 minutes.
  5. Pour the tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining ½ cup shredded cheese. Return to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the onion rings, queso fresco, and remaining cilantro.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Food Network
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 enchiladas Calories: 375 Fat: 18.0 Carbohydrates: 26.7 Sugar: 3.9 Sodium: 761 Fiber: 4.4 Protein: 30.3 Cholesterol: 90

Weekly Menu: September 22nd – 26th

  • Sunday: leftover fajitas made into nachos with guacamole and corn
  • Monday: Weeknight Saucy Pineapple BBQ Chicken Bowls
  • Tuesday: leftovers or veggie corn dogs w/ veg for the crew; dinner out for book club for me!
  • Wednesday: Mark’s Birthday! His request: lobster tails, mashed potatoes, and salad
  • Thursday: Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage Tortellini with homemade pesto, green beans, and roasted brussels sprouts

Be well,

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