My afternoons are probably a lot like yours, a constant wave of motion that seem to be marked with a dozen or so components ranging from soccer practice to fussy babies to math fact memorization. As if the busy-ness isn’t enough, these little people (and their parents) must eat, which means we mommas have to cook! That’s the part that daunts me.
For five years, I’ve been on a quest — a quest to cook well and to cook smart. I’m probably looking for the things that nearly every mom is looking for…non-mushy crock pot meals without condensed soups or MSG; meals that can be prepped at 1 p.m. and cooked at 6 p.m.; dinners that won’t destroy my kitchen or my sanity or our checkbook; and meals that are nutritiously dense, yet please little (and big) pallets alike.
These enchiladas are on my short list of go-to meals. They’re full of fiber, loaded with vegetables, and everyone in our family loves them. They’re just as good cold as they are warm, and they reheat perfectly in your microwave.
Chicken Enchiladas
Make 7 enchiladas
Cost for ingredients: about $14 ($2 per enchilada)
1 large onion
2 carrots
3 stalks of celery
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken
32 oz. chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes (I use mild)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
Enchilada sauce (I use mild)
2% shredded cheese of choice
10 whole wheat tortillas
Optional — black beans, corn
1. Dice carrots, onion & celery and saute in a large pot until slightly softened.
2. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
3. Add the chicken breasts, reduce heat to medium, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
4. Remove chicken, shred with a fork, and add back to pot. Add Rotel, cumin and coriander. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add drained black beans and corn.
5. Drain liquid from enchilada filling using a colander. Top each tortilla with approximately 1/8 cup of filling, add desired amount of cheese & enchilada sauce, and fold like a burrito.
6. Place completed enchiladas in a baking pan coated in cooking spray. Top with additional sauce and cheese, and bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
8. Serve immediately with blue corn chips and salsa — or cool, cover and refrigerate. These reheat in the microwave nicely, and are pretty awesome served cold, too!
Tell us: What are some of your go-to nutritious, easy to prepare and little one friendly recipes?
Yum, yum, yum!