One Pan Chicken Enchiladas (GF)

My 33 year old son Tim is gluten intolerant and ALWAYS hungry. In fact when he comes to dinner we have to make extra mashed potatoes ‘cuz he piles them up so high, you can barely see his face. I mean the poor kid has been hungry for years! Eating out is hard, gluten free food is expensive and he has to pass on things he really loves all the time. I say, pile up those mashed potatoes Tim!

One Sunday Tim was over for dinner and I was low on groceries. Oh no, I thought, how do I feed this hungry man something filling and comforting? I opened the frig and surveyed what I had on hand…corn tortillas, a rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, greek yogurt, grated cheddar cheese and a can of green chilis. That’s when I decided to take a stab at gluten-free chicken enchiladas. Instead of using cream-of-chicken soup (which is not GF), I made my sauce from scratch which was creamy and delicious, no-one even noticed the difference.

We love Mexican food at our house but enchiladas take so much time that I tend to avoid making them very often. I mean one pot to cook the chicken, a pan to fry the tortillas, a bowl to mix the sauce, a baking dish to assemble and so it goes. The mess alone is enough to scare anyone off, which is why I decided to see if I could make it all in one pan and guess what? It worked. From stove to oven, I used just one pan. Of course having a rotisserie chicken and some pre-grated cheese on hand made things easier too.

When we pulled these enchiladas out of the oven, with the cheese melted and the sauce bubbling, Tim let out an audible squeal, which made me smile!

Make my One Pan Chicken Enchiladas (GF)  today and enjoy a simple, heart-healthy, low fat, tasty meal your family is sure to enjoy.

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One Pan Chicken Enchiladas (GF)

• 4 cups shredded chicken
• 1 T avocado or olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 small can green chilis
• ½ cup green salsa verde
• 1 block cream cheese (8 oz)
• ¼ cup cold milk
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1 tsp garlic granules
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ cup greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• 12 corn tortillas (GF)
• 2 cups grated cheese
• 1 can black beans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º. Shred or chop rotisserie chicken breast meat; ;set aside. Chop onion and garlic into small pieces. Add oil to pan and sauté both stirring until tender. Add chicken broth, stir to combine. Add green chilis, salsa verde, and cream cheese; stir on medium/low heat until everything is combined and cream cheese is melted. Stir in spices. Mix corn starch in cold milk; add to sauce mixture and cook until sauce thickens.

Remove sauce from pan, give pan a quick rinse, and coat with non-stick spray. Drain the black beans and add to the chicken; add 1/2 cup of the grated cheese and 1/2 cup of the sauce to the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Microwave the tortillas (in groups of 5) for 30 seconds or until soft and pliable. Working quickly, smear a spoonful of sauce onto a tortilla, add some of the chicken mixture and finish with a bit of grated cheese. Roll tortilla up and place in prepared pan. Repeat until all tortillas are filled. Spoon remaining sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese and bake until bubbling and warm or about 30 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, tomatoes and/or olives. Serve with refried beans and rice.   

                       

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Root Notes

• If you don’t have a rotisserie chicken, you still only need one pan for this recipe! Simply place 3-4 frozen chicken breasts in your oven-safe pan and cover with water. Boil until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove chicken, shred or chop into small pieces; set aside.
• If you aren’t concerned about gluten, this recipe tastes great with flour tortillas.
• If your sauce seems a little thick, add more chicken broth. If it seems a bit thin add more of the milk and cornstarch mixture and continue to stir and cook until thickened. If you like more heat, add some chili powder or more salsa verde. For less heat cut out the salsa verde. The chilis aren’t very spicy at all.
• I tend to go light on the cheese so feel free to add more to taste. Monterey Jack is the best cheese to use for these enchiladas. If you don’t have any on hand, cheddar works just fine. Pepper Jack would be tasty too. Or you can buy a Mexican blend which includes Monterey Jack, Mild Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla and Asadero cheeses.
• See my Homemade ‘Cream of’ Soups to replace canned soups in recipes. 
• Gluten-Free Cooking Tips (from a mom who’s learned the hard way):
  Cooking for someone with celiac or gluten intolerance? It’s more than just skipping bread. Gluten hides in all kinds of sneaky places. Here’s what I’ve learned feeding my son Tim (a.k.a. the human mashed potato mountain):   
  •    Flour’s the obvious one, but watch for it in weird places like spice blends, gravy packets, canned soups, and pre-shredded cheese (some use flour or starch to prevent clumping).
  •    Malt = gluten. That means malt vinegar, malt flavoring in cereals, and even some candy (like Whoppers and malted milk balls).
  •    Barley and rye are off-limits, and barley shows up in beer, soup stock, and bouillon cubes.
  •    Soy sauce usually has wheat—look for tamari or gluten-free labeled brands.
  •    Cross-contamination is a big deal: even crumbs from shared toasters or cutting boards can cause trouble. I keep a separate stick of butter just for Tim—no double-dipping!
  •    “Natural flavors” in ingredient lists can be code for hidden gluten. When in doubt, Google it or skip it. •    Oats? Only if labeled gluten-free. Regular oats are often contaminated with wheat during processing.
  •    Rotisserie chicken from the store sometimes has wheat in the seasoning or marinade—always check the label or ask the deli worker. 

  It’s a little extra work, but when your gluten-free kid eats without getting sick—and lets out a squeal when the cheese bubbles just right—it’s so worth it!!