Guilty!

I was summonsed for jury duty. Again. They must really like me over there at the court house.. So, I was thinking, what would my alter ego do that I would end up trying to evade jail time.. hmm..
I'm not entirely too sure that I'm that adventurous.. I think it would involve ice cream though, or Mexico.. Maybe both. In the spirit of Mexico I wanted to share with you this recipe. It was fabulous and easy and I vow to never use canned enchilada sauce again! If you also love this recipe and want to use it as your go-to enchilada sauce, you can skip simmering the chicken in the sauce and toss some of the sauce mixture with 1-1/2 pounds of cooked ground beef and proceed as directed. I found the Enchilada recipe at Mel's Kitchen Cafe and made just a couple little changes.

And to go with Enchiladas, you'll want a Spanish Rice, I've also included my favorite recipe for that.

Red Chile Chicken Enchiladas

1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 heaping tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce
1 cup water
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Freshly ground black pepper and additional kosher salt
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Sour cream, chopped avocado, lime wedges and additional minced cilantro

In a large saucepan, combine the onion, jalapenos, salt and oil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until onion and peppers have softened, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, chili powder, sugar and cumin; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce and water. Bring just to a boil over medium heat.

Add chicken to the sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Continue to simmer the sauce over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Season sauce with pepper and additional salt to taste. Using two forks, shred the chicken; transfer to a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup each cheddar and jack cheese, cilantro and enough sauce to moisten. Spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll and place seam-side down in a greased 13-in. × 9-in. baking dish.

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Cover and bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese browns slightly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream, avocado and lime wedges; sprinkle with additional cilantro. Yield: 6 servings.

Spanish Rice
adapted from Fine Cooking

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1-1/2 cups long-grain white rice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained

1 lime

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

In a large heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion, poblano and garlic; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chili powder and cumin; cook for 3 minutes or until onion is softened and spices are fragrant, stirring frequently.

Add rice and salt; stir well to coat with oil. Toast for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the grains separated and to prevent from sticking to the pan. Add broth and tomatoes, stir once; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to low; cook for 18 min. Remove from the heat; let stand, covered, for 5 min. Meanwhile, grate 1 Tbs. zest from lime; cut lime into wedges.

Fluff rice with a fork. Stir in the cilantro, jalapeno and lime zest. Season to taste with salt. Serve with lime wedges. Yield: 6 servings.