Chicken Flautas with Lime Sour Cream

Chicken Flautas with Lime Sour Cream

Makes about 18 flautas

Peanut or canola oil, for frying
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups cooked and shredded chicken (recipe below, or use store-bought rotisserie chicken)
1 teaspoon paprika (regular or smoked)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder 
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
24 corn tortillas, 6 to 7 inches in diameter (a few might tear when rolling)
2 cups crumbled queso fresco cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Juice of two limes
Salsa verde and guacamole, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Fill a Dutch oven or cast iron pot with a few inches of peanut or canola oil and heat on medium-high until it reaches 375°F.

While the oil is heating, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, paprika, kosher salt, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle, chili powder, cayenne, and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until warmed through. Adjust any seasonings to personal taste (note: you want the flavors to be bold in the chicken mixture—i.e. spicy, smoky, salty— because they won't be as strong once you add the cheese and tortilla.)

Heat a stack of three to four tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds to soften. Place two tablespoons of chicken mixture into the middle of the tortillas and sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco. Tightly roll each tortilla and secure with a toothpick(s). Using long tongs, carefully add each tortilla to the oil, gently clamping closed for a moment to help the shell set. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature while frying. Cook the tortillas until very crisp and light golden in color, about 1-2 minutes. Shake off the excess oil back into the pot before placing the flauta on a paper-towel lined sheet pan.

Continue rolling and cooking the tortillas in batches, making sure to return the oil to 375° in between batches. Hold the cooked flautas in preheated oven to keep warm until finished frying.

For the lime sour cream, stir together the sour cream and lime juice. Adjust amount of lime, if desired. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve the flautas with lime sour cream, salsa verde, and guacamole.

For easy poached and shredded chicken: Place four chicken breasts in a deep, flat-sided skillet. Add enough cooking liquid (I used a mix of chicken stock and beer) to completely cover the chicken and sprinkle in a few teaspoons of kosher salt. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low (try to maintain the temperature of cooking liquid to between 170°F and 180°F) and simmer until the chicken reaches the internal temperature of 160°F, about 15 minutes.

Place hot/warm chicken in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with beater attachment. Turn the mixer on low, then increase power to medium (watch out for splashing!) and mix until chicken is shredded to desired texture, about 30 seconds. (If you don't have a stand mixer, just shred the chicken using the two fork method, or my favorite, the "bear claw.") Return chicken to the poaching liquid to cool. Strain before using. Yields approximately 3 cups shredded chicken. (I made the chicken the night before so the flauta recipe came together in a flash.)

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

The Best Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

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About This Recipe

YIELD:	Serves 6
ACTIVE TIME:	1 hour
TOTAL TIME:	1 1/2 hours
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:	Dutch oven, immersion blender,
THIS RECIPE APPEARS IN:	The Food Lab: How to Make the Best Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 3 poblano peppers
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed
• 2 Serrano peppers
• 3 medium cloves garlic
• 2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup loosely packed picked fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems, plus chopped cilantro for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds bone in, skin-on chicken thighs (see note above)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 16 soft corn tortillas
• 8 ounces shredded pepper Jack cheese, divided
• 1 cup Mexican-style crema, divided (see note above)

Procedures

1. 1
   
   Adjust broiler rack to 8 inches below element and preheat broiler to high. Place poblanos, onion, tomatillos, serranos, and garlic on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place under broiler and broil, turning vegetables occasionally, until tomatillos are completely softened and lightly charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer tomatillos to a bowl. Continue broiling until poblanos are charred on all sides, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a separate bowl and cover tightly with foil. Continue broiling until onion, Serranos, and garlic are softened and charred, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to bowl with tomatillos along with any juices and set aside.
2. 2
   
   Adjust oven rack to middle position and set oven to 375°F. Add chicken stock to bowl with poblanos and peel poblanos while submerged in stock. Transfer flesh to bowl with tomatillos, leaving skin and seeds with the stock. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer into the bowl with the tomatillo/pepper mixture. Discard skins and seeds. Add cilantro to mixture. Set mixture aside.
3. 3
   
   Season chicken pieces on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add chicken skin side-down and cook without moving until well browned on first side, about 6 minutes. Flip chicken and continue cooking until lightly browned on second side, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a bowl and pour off excess fat from Dutch oven, reserving and brown liquid.
4. 4
   
   Add tomatillo/pepper mixture to the Dutch oven and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Using an immersion blender, puree mixture into a chunky sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return chicken to pot, bring to a simmer, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place in oven to warm.
5. 5
   
   When chicken is cooked, remove from heat and transfer chicken to a large bowl using tongs. Allow to rest until cool enough to handle. Shred chicken into thin strips, discarding skin and bones. Add 1 cup of sauce, half of cheese, and half of Mexican crema to chicken and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. 6
   
   Remove tortillas from oven and unwrap. Spread 1/3 of the remaining sauce in the bottom of a 13- by 9-inch casserole dish. Dip each tortilla in the remaining sauce and stack on a cutting board. Working one tortilla at at time, place 2 tablespoons of chicken filling in a line down the center and roll up tightly. Place in the casserole dish seam side-down. Continue until all the tortillas and filling are used (the casserole will be tightly packed).
7. 7
   
   Spread remaining sauce on top of enchiladas and lay the remaining cheese down in a line through the middle of each row of enchiladas. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly, about 10 minutes longer.
8. 8
   
   Remove enchiladas from oven, drizzle with remaining crema, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and serve immediately.

Tortilla Soup

TORTILLA SOUP RECIPE

• Quick Glance
•  45 M
•  2 H, 30 M
•  Serves 6 to 8

 TO MY ZIPLIST RECIPE BOX PRINT RECIPE METRIC CONVERSION

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INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 poblano chile, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
•  Freshly ground black pepper
•  Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• One 28- to 32-ounce can crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 8 cups homemade chicken stock
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 small corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 avocado, diced
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
•  Lime wedges
•  Chopped fresh cilantro
•  Sliced radishes

DIRECTIONS

• 1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Add the onion, garlic, poblano chile, salt, and black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté for about 2 minutes. Then add the lime juice, cumin, paprika, coriander, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and cilantro. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the seasonings release their aromas and the onion and chile have softened.
• 2. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan halfway, and cook, stirring intermittently, for about 1 1/2 hours.
• 3. While the soup is cooking, heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over high heat. Fry the tortilla strips in the hot oil for about 3 minutes, until crisp. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• 4. Once the liquid has thickened somewhat, remove the bay leaves and purée the soup with an immersion blender. (If you do not have an immersion blender, you may carefully purée the soup in batches in a blender, but let the soup cool for at least 10 minutes first.) The soup may be somewhat thinner than you expect, but taste it, as the flavor should be perfect. If you desire a thicker consistency, gently simmer the soup over medium-high heat for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
• 5. Serve the tortilla soup in bowls and pass the tortilla strips, avocado, onion, cheese, lime wedges, cilantro, and radishes on the side as toppings.

Read more at http://leitesculinaria.com/97410/recipes-tortilla-soup.html#SoBFVXS3f1qL7Z7x.99

Sixteen Minute Beef and Bean Burritos

Sixteen Minute Beef and Bean Burritos

Prep Time:

 5 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 11 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

 6

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion
• 1 can (7 Ounce) Mexican Tomato Sauce Or Enchilada Sauce
•  Salt And Pepper, to taste
•  Cumin, Oregano, Chili Powder, Garlic To Taste
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Refried Beans
• 3/4 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 12 whole Burrito-sized Flour Tortillas
•  Extra Grated Cheese, For Sprinkling
•  Extra Sauce, For Drizzling
•  Cilantro Leaves (optional)
•  Optional Filling Ingredients: Mexican Rice, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Green Chilies, Pico De Gallo

Preparation Instructions

Brown ground beef with onion and season to taste. Pour in sauce and simmer over low heat. Add water if mixture gets too dry.

Heat refried beans in a saucepan. Add cheese and stir in till melted. Keep warm.

Heat tortillas in microwave for one minute.

Spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add meat. Fold over ends, then roll up. Place two burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Drizzle red sauce over the top and sprinkle with more grated cheddar. Microwave for one minute, or until cheese is melted and burritos are very hot. Serve immediately.

OPTIONAL: Fill burritos with any optional ingredients you like. (I love them full, but my boys like them very plain.)

Southwest Skillet Ragu

Southwest Skillet Ragu


In this recipe, we throw the dry pasta into the meat sauce toward the end instead of cooking it separately. This allows the pasta to absorb the flavors of the sauce and also releases starch into the sauce, which helps thicken the sauce and pull everything together. If you find you don't like this texture, feel free to cook the pasta separately and add it at the very end along with the cheese!

Serves 6-8

1 – 1.5 pounds of ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 red (green, orange, or yellow) pepper, chopped
1/2 container mushrooms quartered
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus additional to season to taste)
1/2 tsp cayenne (optional)
1 cup elbow macaroni
1/2 cup water (as needed)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a wok or skillet that will be deep enough to hold everything. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink (about 8 minutes).
Stir in the onions and mushrooms, and cook until the onions are soft and slightly translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the peppers, spices, and salt, and continue to saute until veggies are mostly cooked (about 3 minutes).
Add tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil. Add the pasta. Let the water come back to a boil and then reduce the heat. Allow everything to simmer for about 10 minutes until the pasta isel dente and the veggies are cooked through. (If it looks like the liquid is gone before the pasta is cooked, pour in another half cup of water.)
Sprinkle the cheese over the top and stir until the cheese is melted and gooey. Spoon into individual bowls, top with an extra sprinkle of cheese, and serve!

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
Makes enough meat to stuff 30 tacos
4 chipotle peppers (from a can) plus all the adobo sauce it sits in
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 head garlic, peeled and cloves smashed
5 dry bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Juice of 4 limes
1/2 cup cider vinegar
5 to 7 pounds beef brisket
4 to 6 cups beef or chicken stock
Stir together chipotle peppers and sauce, cilantro, red onion, garlic, clove, salt, lime juice, and cider vinegar in the insert of a slow cooker (if you have a food processor, pulse till combined first before adding). Place the brisket on top of this mixture. (I like to cut my brisket in two pieces so it fits better in the slow cooker.) Add stock to cover the meat and place bay leaves on top. Use tongs to move the meat around gently to combine everything and put the lid on.
Cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Once finished, turn crock pot to WARM and let sit for 6 to 8 hours.
I like to make mine before bed and then let it sit on WARM overnight. This allows the meat to cook fully and then come to a point where it can be shredded easily and will essentially fall apart when pulled with a fork. If you don't have overnight to accomplish this, another hour of cooking on HIGH will get the job done. The meat will not be as tender, but will still be tasty.
Remove meat from slow cooker and place on rimmed baking sheet. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. Discard the fat, if desired. If you plan on frying it again before use, the small fat bits are extra tasty and should be kept! Place shredded beef in large bowl and ladle cooking liquid over the top a few scoops at a time. You want the meat to hold the liquid but not swim in it.
To keep it warm for guests you can return it to your slow cooker after you have removed the remaining liquid. That liquid is extra tasty and can be frozen into ice cube-sized portions to be used in other dishes later, if you so desire. Serve with fresh tortillas, onion, cilantro, and salsa.
Note: This recipe makes roughly 30 tacos, give or take. You can make two recipes back to back in your slow cooker for the initial 4 hour cooking time (or two slow cookers at the same time) and then add the meat to the same slow cooker to sit overnight since the meat will have reduced in size. This will allow 60 tacos of meat to be finished up at the same time.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Slightly Fancy-Pants King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of chicken, without skin and bones
4 teaspoons of lime juice
1/4 cup of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons of butter
1/2 an onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 10oz. can of Ro-Tel tomatoes (or you can use a can of regular diced tomatoes and a 4 oz. can of diced green chiles, or if tomatoes are in season, can use two cups of diced fresh tomatoes with 1/4 cup of diced green chiles, such as a jalapeno)
4 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 cup of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup of half and half
1/3 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped
3 cups of grated pepper jack and cheddar
10 corn tortillas
Salt and pepper to taste.


Method:
1. Cook the chicken in the olive oil on medium, adding 2 teaspoons of lime juice, 2 teaspoons of ancho chile powder and salt to taste.
2. When chicken is done (after about 20 minutes), shred it with two forks and set aside. Should yield about 3 cups.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium, and add the onions, red bell pepper and poblano pepper. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, flour, cumin, cayenne pepper and 2 teaspoons of ancho chile powder, and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the chicken broth and cook on low until mixture is thickened, a few minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and Ro-Tel cover the pot, and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Uncover the pot, and add the sour cream, 2 teaspoons of lime juice and 1/4 cup of cilantro, and add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
8. Heat up the tortillas (you can do this by adding a bit of oil on an iron skillet and then cooking the tortillas for about 30 seconds on each side).
9. Ladle 1/2 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking pan.
10. Layer half the tortillas along the bottom of the pan (on top of the sauce). To make sure entire pan is evenly covered, you can rip some of the tortillas into strips to fill any gaps.
11. Add half the chicken, half the remaining sauce, half the remaining cilantro and 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese.
12. Repeat the layering, leaving the cheese layer on top.
13. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbling. Serves 6-12, depending on how big a portion you distribute. Goes great with sour cream and cilantro on top.

Old-School King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
1 cooked 2 1/2 pound fryer (cooked with cumin, onion, celery and garlic) shredded
10 corn tortillas
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, diced
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of chicken broth
1 can of Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 tsp. of chile powder

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine soups, broth, Ro-Tel tomatoes and chile powder; blend until smooth.
3. Place a layer of chicken in a greased casserole dish.
4. Add layers of tortillas, onion, bell peppers, cheese and sauce.
5. Repeat layers, ending with cheese.
6. Bake uncovered for half an hour or until brown and bubbling.