My dear friend Sheila brought our family a dish of these spicy chicken enchiladas soon after Daisy was born. It was such a thoughtful gesture, particularly after that last trimester. I was so ready to get back to some spicy foods!
Makes 12 enchiladas
TWO 10.75-OUNCE CANS CONDENSED CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP
½ CUP MILK
16 OUNCES (ABOUT 2 CUPS) SOUR CREAM
¼ CUP DICED ONION
3 JALAPEÑOS, SEEDED AND FINELY DICED
2 TABLESPOONS HOT SAUCE
2 CUPS COOKED SHREDDED CHICKEN
2 CUPS GRATED MONTEREY JACK CHEESE
CANOLA OIL, FOR FRYING
TWELVE 6-INCH CORN TORTILLAS
2 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO
LIME WEDGES, FOR GARNISH
MEDIUM OR HOT SALSA, FOR SERVING
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Combine the soup, milk, sour cream, onion, jalapeños, and hot sauce in a bowl. Spread ½ cup of the mixture over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Add the chicken and 1½ cups of the Jack cheese to the remaining soup mixture.
3. Pour enough oil into a medium skillet to come up ¼ inch. Heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Fry the tortillas for 10 seconds per side. Stack them between paper towels as they’re done.
4. Fill each tortilla with ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture. Roll and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Spread the remaining soup mixture evenly over the tortillas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake until the cheese melts and bubbles, about 35 minutes. Top with the cilantro and garnish with fresh lime wedges. Serve with salsa for more spice.
SOUTHERN SIMPLE: Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the market to get a head start on this casserole.
I dropped out of kindergarten. After the first few weeks of school, the teachers lined us up single file for a fire drill. When the alarm sounded and they marched us out, it scared me so badly! I cried and cried so hard they had to call my mother. She sent Daddy to pick me up. He told me in the car on the way home, “Baby, now, next year when you start first grade, you can’t just drop out. Okay, baby doll?”