Chicken Enchiladas Casserole for a Sizzling Spring Night

Best served with Margaritas and good friends!  My good friend Clare and I perfected this recipe this month.  I have tried making enchiladas many times, but I think everything tastes better as a casserole...haha.  Maybe that's why my friends have dubbed me the Casserole Queen!

Ingredients:

1 package chicken breast thawed about 1 1/2- 2 lbs
21 small corn tortillas
2 + 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Large Onion diced
3 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
1 (16 oz.) Light sour cream
1/2 cup + 2 cups chicken broth
4 cups of Mexican Cheese
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 + 1/2 tsp. Paprika
Salt and Pepper
Cilantro or Scallions or Salsa for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill a large skillet about half way with cold water.  Add 1 tsp. salt to the water and mix.  Add chicken to the water.  Cook on High for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken from water, and set aside to cool.  Once cool, shred or chop chicken into small pieces.

2.  Heat about 1 Tbsp. oil in a skillet.  Lightly pan saute each corn tortilla for about 10 seconds on each side, and lay on paper towels to drain.  Add another 1 Tbsp. of oil about half way through.  There will be very little oil in the pan, that is fine.  Set Aside.

3.  In large saute pan heat 2 Tbsp. oil on medium-high heat and saute onion for a few minutes, add chilies and chicken.  Saute a few more minutes.  Add 1 tsp. paprika, 1/2 cup of chicken broth, half a cup of sour cream and 1/4 tsp. of salt.  Stir to combine and cook a few additional minutes.  Turn of heat and set aside.

4.  In a medium saute pan, melt butter.  Add small amounts of the flour and 2 cups of chicken broth alternatively, whisking together over medium-high heat until combined and not lumpy.   Turn heat down to low.  Add remaining sour cream, 2 cups of cheese, 1/2 tsp. paprika and 1/8 tsp. salt.  Cook until combined.

5.  Grease the bottom of 13 by 9 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.  Cover the bottom of the pan with 7 of the tortillas.  Pour over 1/2 of the chicken mixture  Pour over 1/3 of the cheese sauce.  Evenly spread 1 cup of cheese over the sauce.  Cover with 7 more tortillas.  Pour over remaining chicken mixture and another 1/3 of the cheese sauce.  Evenly spread remaining cheese over the sauce.  cover with the remaining tortillas.  Cover with remaining cheese sauce.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Let set for about 5 minutes prior to serving so slices come out clean.  Garnish as desired and serve hot.  Enjoy!