Chicken Enchiladas with Caramelized Onions
16 regular size corn tortillas
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Cumin, for sprinkling
Chili powder, for sprinkling
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large, yellow onion, diced
3 cans (15 oz.) red enchilada sauce, store bought or homemade.
4 cups grated cheddar or jack cheese, or a combo of both
Sour cream, for serving
Diced tomato, for serving
Chopped cilantro, for serving
Enchilada Sauce
5 dried ancho chiles
5 dried guajillo chiles
4 cups boiling water, chicken stock, or beef stock
1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 large white onion, peeled and cut into eighths
6 cloves garlic, peeled
Kosher salt, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 canned chipotle peppers
Enchilada Sauce
Toast the chiles:
Add the chiles to a dry 12-inch frying pan. Turn the stove to medium heat and gently toast the chiles, flipping halfway during toasting, 4 to 5 minutes. The exterior of the chiles will take on a dark color, and you’ll start to smell their aroma. Once the chiles are toasted, remove them from the pan and allow them to cool for 10 minutes (or until cool enough to handle).
Stem, seed, and soak the chiles:
Once the chiles are cool, pull off their stems. After pulling the stems, you can easily tear them open. Shake out the seeds.
Put the peppers in the jar of a 64-ounce blender and carefully pour the boiling water or stock over them. Allow the peppers to soak for 15 minutes. If you happen to be poaching chicken to use in your enchiladas, soak the chiles in the poaching liquid instead of plain boiling water for more flavor. Instead of a blender or food processor, you can use an immersion blender to blend the sauce right in the pot you cooked the chicken in.
Puree the sauce:
Check to see that the peppers have softened. Remove 1 cup of the soaking liquid and set aside. Add the chopped tomatoes to the blender, along with the onions, chipotles, garlic, salt, oregano and cumin. Blend on high speed until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and blend once again at the same speed for another 30 seconds.
Enchiladas
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Warm tortillas in a dry skillet, just until they start to bubble. I use a tortilla warming pouch in the microwave. Got it on QVC. I love it!
Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with the cumin and chili powder. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken on both sides until done in the middle, about 4-5 minutes per side or until juices run clear. Set it aside on a plate to cool, then shred it finely with a fork. You can also poach the chicken, if you like.
Throw the onions into the same skillet and stir them around to cook, until deep golden brown and caramelized. Remove them from the pan and set them aside on a plate. Pour in the enchilada sauce and reduce the heat to low, allowing it to warm through.
Pour 2 cups of sauce into a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. To assemble the enchiladas, dip a tortilla into the sauce then lay on a sheet pan or plate. Sprinkle some cheese down the middle, followed by some chicken, and finally, some of the caramelized onions. Roll it up tightly, then place it, seam side down, in the pan. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese. Give it a final sprinkling of chili powder, then bake it for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Remove it from the oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve 2 enchiladas at a time, topping with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of diced tomatoes, and a sprinkling of cilantro.