Our schedules have been so crazy lately and I have gotten way too comfortable just ordering take out once or even twice a week. I’m trying to get back into the habit of meal planning and coming up with some really delicious, healthy and easy dinners I can put together quickly!
This chicken enchilada skillet is just what I need to spice up (literally) our dinner rotation! It could not be easier. It tastes authentic. It’s cozy. It’s filling. It’s been a hit in my house.
This is also a great recipe if you have some people that are doing low-carb. It has all the flavors of enchiladas, without the tortillas. I serve it right in the middle of the table with toppings and some charred tortillas on the side for those of us who are not low-carb! Everyone wins.
Here’s what you need for the enchilada skillet:
This is such a simple recipe that requires very minimal prep. I just grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and a can of black beans. You can buy cheese that is already shredded, (though block cheese shredded at home melts a lot better.)
Feel free to take liberties with this recipe. Omit or add whatever you like! You could add additional veggies like zucchini or mushrooms. You could easily make this meat-free. If you are not crazy about spicy foods, leave out one or both of the chiles and just use a sweet bell pepper instead! This is a really difficult recipe to mess up so just go for it!
Here’s what you need for the sauce:
Don’t let the idea of making enchilada sauce from scratch cause you to navigate away from this recipe. You would be surprised how easy it is to make. It tastes miles better than canned enchilada sauce you buy at the store. Plus, you probably have the ingredients hanging out in your pantry.
If you want to save yourself a bit of time in the future, make a double, triple or even a quadruple batch of the sauce. Divide it up into portions and freeze whatever you don’t use today.
Make the sauce first.
Start by frying the spices in the oil very quickly, for about a minute, until they are fragrant.
Add the tomato paste. Use a rubber spatulas to stir and smoosh the mixture into the pan. Again just do this for about a minute to caramelize the tomato.
Add the flour and continue to stir, pressing the mixture into the pan so all of it comes in even contact with the hot surface. Cook this roux for another couple minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the broth and stir it into the roux. You could switch to a whisk at this point if needed to break up any clumps. Bring the sauce to a simmer and continue to simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat. The sauce will thicken up as it cools.
The last thing I like to do is squeeze in a bit of fresh lime. The acidity cuts through the rich smokiness of the spices.
Now, get started on assembling the skillet.
Heat a large (preferably cast iron) skillet to a bit higher than medium. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the onions and chiles with a pinch of salt until they are slightly caramelized and tender.
Add shredded chicken and beans.
You don’t have to worry about cooking these ingredients. You just want to warm them through for a few minutes, stirring regularly.
Add all of the enchilada sauce.
Turn off the heat. Toss until all the chicken is coated. The sauce will reduce slightly in the residual heat of the pan.
Top with cheese.
I love using Monterrey jack because it’s super melty. Sometimes I use pepper jack or cheddar. This is a good way to use up odd little nuggets of leftover cheeses hanging out in the fridge.
The amount you use, I leave to you. I like it super cheesy. Enchiladas are cheesy, so I load it up with about 1 1/2 cups of cheese.
Just bake until bubbly.
While the skillet is cooking, turn on the oven to 450 degrees, so it’s hot by the time you add the cheeses. You could also use the broiler if you want, just keep an eye on it as the cheese browns because it can burn quickly.
Place the pan in the oven just long enough to melt and brown the cheese a bit. This could take anywhere between 8 to 12 minutes, depending on how much and what type of cheese you are using.
Serve it with all the fixins.
My favorite part about this meal is that everyone gets to dress it up the way they want! Of course I always serve up some charred tortillas and hot sauce! Here are a list of accompaniments you could serve with your enchilada skillet:
- avocado
- fresh cilantro
- pico di gallo
- steamed rice
- crunchy Mexican slaw
- pickled jalapeños
- salsa
- sour cream
Other recipes to try:
Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup enchilada sauce (preferably homemade)
- 1 poblano pepper medium diced
- 1/2 yellow onion medium diced
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 can black beans drained
- 1-1/2 cups shredded melting cheese such as pepper jack, Monterrey jack, cheddar
- accompaniments such as avocado, sour cream, charred tortillas, steamed rice, fresh cilantro, pico, Mexican slaw, shredded lettuce, etc,…
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat a large heavy bottomed (preferably cast iron) skillet to medium to medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and toss in the poblano and onion. Season with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 8 minutes. They should be soft and translucent and slightly caramelized.Add the chicken and the beans and toss well. Sauté for about 4 minutes just to heat the chicken and beans through. Add the sauce and toss to coat everything.Top with the shredded cheese. Place the pan in the preheated oven to melt and brown the cheese. Check it every couple minutes or so until it is at your desired level of browned and bubbly.
Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- pinch of cinnamon (optional)
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a small saucepan to medium heat. Add the spices and salt and let them toast for a few seconds by themselves until they are fragrant. Add the tomato paste and mix with a rubber spatula for 1 minute to caramelize the tomatoes, deepening their flavor. Add the flour to make a roux. Mix the flour with the tomato/spice paste until there are no dry bits in the pan. Keep moving it with the rubber spatula, smooshing the spicy, tomato roux so that all of it gets to have contact with the pan. Cook the roux for 2-3 minutes.Pour in the broth. You may want to switch to a whisk to more effectively incorporate the roux into the liquid. Bring the sauce to a simmer and continue to simmer gently for 8 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the fresh lime juice. As the sauce cools it will thicken .
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