Thrift Kitchen: Enchiladas for stress season!

 I’ve worked hard to eat healthier, work out, and loose weight. I don’t want that to just get blown off when I hit my busy season. Turns out my friend is in the same place as me. We decided to get together every week or so to make healthy entrées that freeze well. Jason and I had already talked about this as an option, so now that Sarah is in on it too, all the better. We can buy in bulk, make food to freeze, and be prepared for some tasty food even on the busiest of days!

A three phase reboot to my lifestyle:  1. Workout 5 days a week – check. 2. Get back on track with the fly lady cleaning routine – check! 3. Prepare for when things will go crazy again so we don’t eat out to much/eat junk everyday – in progress.

Jason and I made these today and I am so happy to have them for dinner tonight, lunch tomorrow and more dinners in weeks to come. Learn how to make your own tasty enchiladas, freeze, and then prepare them when you need a quick healthy meal in a pinch!

DeStress Enchiladas

Ingredients:
6 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Pablano Pepper minced
1/2 red onion – minced
4 Tablespoons crushed garlic (I love garlic, if you don’t, add less)
2 Tablespoons minced canned chipotles in adobe (reserve adobe sauce)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 box chicken brooth (I like swanson’s)
1 can refried beans
18-20 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (or to taste)
3 cups brown rice – cooked

Directions:
Start the rice before you begin since brown rice take 25 – 30 minutes to cook.

1. Place chicken in large pot, fill with water to cover chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit covered for 15 more minutes. Drain water, rinse with cool water and set aside until cool enough to handle. Shred with a fork or your fingers, whichever you prefer. I work faster using my fingers. 

2. Get out your biggest sauce pan and heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil – medium high heat. Sauté diced onions and pablano peppers. Once fragrant remove from heat and set aside. When chicken is shredded, mix in onions and peppers and set aside.

3. Sauce: Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the garlic. Once the garlic becomes fragrant (1 minute); wisk together chipotles, adobe, 1/4 cup water, and 1/2 cup flour. Wisk broth into the mixture; add in refried beans a 1/4 cup at a time, wisking between additions until blended into the mixture. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Mix 2 1/2 cups of the sauce into the shredded chicken. Add enough to each baking pan so they are coated in the sauce.

4. Assembly: Jason and I tackled this one together, so we set our “station” with 2 plates of tortillas. Chicken, rice, shredded cheese. Then the prepped pans to place the finished enchiladas in. 1/3 cup chicken mixture, 1/4 cup rice, and a sprinkling of cheese in the center of each tortilla. Fold the sides, roll, and place in the pan with the seam facing down. Repeat until all the pans are full. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes – until the sauce is bubbling.

To store: wrap in aluminum foil and label with the date, name, and directions for cooking.

To cook: think frozen burrito. Take out of the freezer, pop in the toaster over for 15 minutes OR unwrap and microwave for 1 minutes, flip over and cook for 1 minute more.

If you are expecting company and know you won’t have time to cook, pull out a whole bunch the night before. For an added touch, sprinkle cheese over the top and place in the oven until cheese melts and starts to brown – about 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Serving with mixed greens really balances out the meal.

Enjoy!