WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Cassandra Jeffery 

Assistant InsideOut Editor

Ingredients: 

4 boneless chicken breasts

8 flour tortillas

3 cups of chicken broth

2 cups tomato sauce

2½ cups Monterey Jack cheese

1 medium-sized onion

2 fresh oregano springs

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons hot cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons chilli powder

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ cups cilantro (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven at 275 degrees, wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and warm. Use a large, deep skillet to boil the broth, bay leaf, oregano and onion. Add the chicken, bring to a simmer, cover the skillet, and let it sit for ten minutes. Once finished, set the broth and chicken aside.

Creating the Sauce: 

Combine the tomato sauce, hot sauce, cinnamon and chilli powder. Shred the chicken into a bowl and add ¼ cup of the broth. Combine with the tomato paste, chilli powder and cumin.

Finishing Touches:

Once tortillas have been removed, switch the oven to broil. Pour a little of the enchilada sauce at the bottom of a large, deep baking dish. Place the chicken mixture in the tortillas and roll. Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle with cheese, and place in the oven until cheese is thoroughly melted. If desired, sprinkle cilantro over the enchiladas when ready to serve.

The End Result: 

The combination of a warm, crisp tortilla, spicy chicken and creamy tomato sauce creates a blend of exceptional tastes and textures. If you’re on the dangerous side and enjoy the flare of spicy food, this dish is made for you. The chilli powder, cumin and crushed cayenne pepper mix together beautifully to add just the right amount of spice to the enchiladas, without completely overpowering the sweet and sultry taste of the cinnamon and oregano.

If you’re looking to cater to a large party, chicken enchiladas are a great choice. This recipe makes eight enchiladas; the enchiladas are fairly big, so depending on your appetite, one to two enchiladas per serving is appropriate.

Moreover, this recipe is extremely easy to double, another great reason to serve chicken enchiladas at your next big dinner party. To liven things up a little bit, try pairing chicken enchiladas with sangria. Easy to make at home, sangria would turn your basic dinners into a night of fiesta fun!

If you’re making these enchiladas just for yourself, you’ll be happy to know that they’re easy to freeze. Put frozen enchiladas in the oven for approximately ten minutes at 350 degrees. Chicken enchiladas also taste great straight from the refrigerator.

Alternative Options:

Chicken enchiladas can be a relatively healthy option for a student. Compared to a rich pasta or a greasy pizza, chicken enchiladas seem to have more of a nutritional value, and as students, we know that a healthy, inexpensive and tasty meal is hard to come by. If you’re looking to bring your enchilada to the next level in terms of health, try using whole wheat tortillas, cut down the cheese and lower the level of tomato sauced used. Also, adding a variety of veggies will definitely help in the nutrition department.

For a vegetarian option, substitute the chicken for tofu or use a variety of vegetables; try adding in some chick peas for added protein and fibre. For an added twist, squash up some avocado for a homemade twist on guacamole.

Cost:

Chicken enchiladas are not too pricy to make, plus you’ll have leftovers for days; it’s a win-win situation. Enchiladas have basic ingredients (such as chicken, tortilla wraps, chicken broth and tomato sauce/paste), which are relatively cheap in your local supermarket. The only items that may be somewhat costly are the numerous spices you’ll need in order to successfully cook this dish.