Confession: I’ve been sitting on this recipe for months now without sharing it, and in that time, I’ve fallen so deeply in love with it that it has even become a regular in the dinner rotation. Apologies, I shouldn’t have been so selfish. Because this IS indeed as incredible as it sounds.
saucy
melty
cheesy
spicy
easily customizable
veggie-loaded
protein and fiber-rich
soooooo satisfying
weeknight-friendly
celebration-worthy
single serving OR for the fam
And you’ll only have ONE pan to clean!
Yes, even for the homemade sauce! You’ll be shocked at how easy-to-make and wildly flavorful this sauce is. Another perk is the ability to adjust the heat as desired. When cooking for my family, the heat by default can’t go beyond the tolerance levels of the most sensitive person…which basically means no heat at all whatsoever, and everyone else going hard with the pepper shaker or Tabasco that never leaves the table. Safe to say that doing a small skillet all for ME (as pictured) and my mamma-bear, right-in-the-middle heat preferences is probs the most fun way to do it.
I went ahead and wrote the recipe for two–for you + a buddy or for you + yourself sometime in the near future. Sharing does sound like a good idea at first…but honestly make these then get back to me on that one. 😉
One-Pan Chicken and Veggie Enchiladas
Notes
**Or pepper jack, smoked cheddar...Also, I HIGHLY recommend purchasing blocks of cheese and shredding yourself just before using (for taste, texture, and quality).
***I used McCormick chili powder in this recipe, which is actually a blend of spices. Can't attest to other brands, but let me know how it turns out if you use something else!
****Sauce shortcut: Use 1/2 cup Pacific Foods Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup in place of the oil, flour, tomato paste, and broth. Just lower the heat, deglaze with a splash of broth if needed, then stir in the soup and spices. Simmer 1-2 minutes until thoroughly combined. Proceed with recipe.
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp avocado oil, or other high heat oil*
- 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast (= 2 tenderloin strips)
- pinch salt, pepper, and chili powder
- ~1/2 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- ~1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 1/3 cup corn fresh corn
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 medium whole grain tortillas
- 1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 oz freshly shredded Monterrey jack cheese**
- homemade enchilada sauce (below)
For the sauce:****
- 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil (or other medium/high heat oil)*
- 1/2 Tbsp flour
- 1 - 1.5 tsp chili powder***
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp unsweetened cacao powder
- 1/8 tsp espresso powder
- pinch cayenne (for heat, optional)
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- salt and pepper, to taste
Toppings:
- plain, full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
- sliced avocado or guacamole
Instructions
- Choose the skillet you will be using for the enchiladas: 10" for 2 servings, 8" if halving the recipe for 1. *If nonstick, proceed as written; if cast iron, add 1/2 tsp extra oil for the chicken and veggies and 1-2 tsp extra oil when making the sauce.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cook the chicken and veggies:
- Heat 1/2 - 1 tsp oil in your skillet. Pound chicken to even thickness; sprinkle with a pinch salt, pepper, and chili powder. Cook about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Set aside. When cool enough, pull into small pieces.
- Add onion and bell pepper and cook 3-4 minutes. Stir in corn and garlic. Add a splash chicken broth to scrape up browned bits as the veggies are cooking. Cook until JUST tender (don't over-cook!). Set aside.
Make the sauce:
- Mix chili powder through cacao in a small bowl, and have remaining sauce ingredients ready to go.
- In the same skillet, add the oil* and heat over medium. When hot, sprinkle in flour and stir. (I use a small rubber spatula.) Then stir in spices and cook a few seconds. Stir in tomato paste. Then gradually add chicken broth while stirring constantly. Bring to a light simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat. (It will thicken further as it rests.) ****See note for shortcut.
Assemble:
- In the center of each tortilla, divide pulled chicken, beans, a couple spoonfuls of sauce (leaving plenty in the pan, though!), half of the cheese, and sautéed veggies. Roll and slice in half (as needed to fit in the pan). Place in the skillet with the sauce, spooning some sauce over top. Add remaining cheese on top.
- Cover skillet. Bake at 350º ~15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- Top as desired and enjoy!