Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Jalapeno Cream Sauce

There are a lot of enchilada recipes floating around out there, but most of them involve something canned...eww. My recipe is very rich and creamy, and there's the added flavor kick from the caramelized onion--not something you'd find in your average Mexican restaurant. Of course, there is always the tomato-based enchilada version, but I really prefer the creamy richness from this sauce.

Ingredients:

-1 yellow onion, finely diced
-1 package flour tortillas (I used the medium sized ones, bigger than the taco ones)
-2 cups cooked, chopped chicken breast (I rubbed 2 chicken breasts with paprika, salt, and a pinch of cayenne before pan-searing it)
-1/4 cup butter
-1/4 cup flour
-1 cup chicken stock
-1 cup cream
-1/4 cup sour cream
-1 jalapeno or serrano, minced
-1 clove of garlic, minced
-1 cup of Monterrey-jack cheese, shredded
-2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (buy the block and shred it, the pre-shredded stuff doesn't melt well)
-1 bunch of finely chopped green onion (optional)


Set a pan over medium heat, once hot, add 2 tbsp. butter. Add in the onion and cook over medium-low until caramelized, stirring occasionally. This should take about 20-25 minutes. It should be a deep golden color. Set aside.

Butter a 9 by 13 baking dish and preheat your oven to 400F.

Combine the shredded chicken, caramelized onion, and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Place about 1/3 cup of this filling mixture into each tortilla, roll, and place seam side down into the baking dish.

Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the butter. Once it's bubbling, add in the flour and garlic. whisk and continue cooking until it turns the color of peanut butter. Pour in the stock and cream. Lower heat to medium-low and continue whisking until thickened and creamy. Take off of the heat and pour in sour cream and chili pepper (start with half, and taste it to make sure it's not too spicy for you). Add salt to taste.

Pour the sauce directly over the enchiladas. Sprinkle over the cheeses, and place in the oven for 20 minutes, until cheese melted and everything is golden brown and bubbly. Serve with salsa and rice!


I recommend serving these with a homemade ancho-chile salsa!