Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

My husband loves Salsa Verde, also known as green sauce or tomatillo salsa. And even though I have not been blogging, I have been cooking. He loved this so much that we had it twice in one week.

As always, read the entire recipe before starting. This may seem like a great deal of work, but it isn’t. In fact, this is an easy recipe. You can follow my recipe exactly, or you can tweak it to your liking. Here are my suggestions for changes.

I find it easier to slice the chicken if it is still a little frozen. Not so frozen that it is still hard, but frozen enough that it holds it shape when you slice it. This makes it easier for you to ensure that the slices are the same size. Just make sure that you cook the chicken completely.

If you don’t want to make your own salsa (which I completely understand) just use your favorite. We like Frontera. But honestly, Old El Paso isn’t bad at all.

You can control the amount of heat in this recipe through the type of Ro-Tel and the type of cheese you use. Original Ro-Tel is a little spicy. You can use ‘mild’ if you don’t want any heat or ‘hot’ if you like more spice. I used Cabot Habanero cheese on top, because we love hot. You can use pepper jack for less heat or cheddar for none at all.

You can probably find Cotija cheese at your grocery store. It crumbles in chunks, like feta. However, it is milder than feta, but saltier. It doesn’t melt. You can use some Cotija crumbles on top of the enchiladas as a garnish and to add a different texture and a burst of salty goodness.

I served this with a side of refried black beans and Spanish rice. (I don’t make any money from this blog.)

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

Servings: 10 enchiladas
Time:  Prep: 15 minutes; Cooking:  30 minutes, Enchiladas in about 45 minutes
Hardware:  A cutting board and knives, measuring cups & spoons, a can opener, a large (10 in) skillet, tongs,  plates for prep, paper towels, 13 x 9 in glass baking dish.

 Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• ½ a small onion cut into strips (2-4 oz)
• ½ a small, diced bell pepper  (2-4 oz)
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 2 ½ cups of salsa verde -buy your favorite or make your own
• 1 can (10 oz) Ro-Tel tomatoes drained
• 1 package (10) 6-inch flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• Oil for the skillet
• Cooking spray
• Salt and pepper
• Optional for garnish: Sliced green onions, Cotija (white, crumbly Mexican cheese), sour cream, and cilantro.

1.  Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray the baking dish with cooking spray. Cut up the chicken, peppers and onions. Liberally salt the chicken. Dice the cream cheese. Drain the Ro-tel. Set everything aside
2.  Add a little oil to the skillet, sauté the onions and bell pepper over medium-high heat until they are to your liking. I usually like mine very crunchy but cook them longer for enchiladas. Place them on a plate. Do not wipe out the skillet. Add the chicken and sauté, flipping it over occasionally, until it is no longer pink in center. This should take about 7-8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and return the turn the peppers to the pan. Stir in the cream cheese and the Ro-tel. Stir until the cream cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.
3. Add enough salsa verde to the glass pan to coat the bottom. This will take no more than 2-3 tablespoons.
4. Place the tortillas on a plate and cover them with a damp paper towel.  Heat these in the microwave for 30 seconds. Spoon 1/10^th of the chicken mixture onto a tortilla, roll it up, and place seam side down into the baking dish. Repeat until you have used up all of the filling. Pour the salsa verde over the enchiladas. Sprinkle them with cheese. Bake until the salsa is bubbling, and the cheese has melted. Ovens vary, but this usually takes me about 15-20 minutes. Make sure to monitor.  Let the dish stand for 5 minutes before serving.
5. To plate, place 2 enchiladas onto a dish. Top with sliced green onions, a little Cotija, sour cream, and a little cilantro.

Ahi Tuna Burgers

I have a friend who loves to go deep sea fishing. She always remembers me and brings me part of her catch. She recently gave us a large piece of tuna. We seared most of it on a salt block. There was about a pound left over so I made Tuna Burgers. I learned this technique from a meal service we used to get. I liked the process but changed up the flavors. I serve this with a simple side salad or plain potato chips.

This recipe is delicious, as is. However, if you want to tweak it, I have a few suggestions. I use sesame oil to cook the burgers. The flavor of sesame oil is very strong, but the burgers are not in the pan long enough to do anything but take on a little taste. If you purchase it, there are a million more uses for it and it won’t go to waste. Also, I sprinkle my pineapple with yellow curry powder before I grill it. I just like the combinations of spices. You could also sprinkle it with a little ancho chili powder. The smoke and the heat are nice. Speaking of heat, I love it. The spicier the better. So, I always use extra sriracha. If you have guests who do not enjoy spice, Dijon mustard is a good substitute for the sriracha mayo

Servings: 4 burgers
Hardware: Measuring spoons and cups, cutting board and knives, a large non-stick skillet (I used cast iron), a large bowl for mixing, a small bowl (preferably a storage container), a large spatula, a fork, 2 plates, paper towels, and plastic wrap
Time: Active time: 10 minutes; Cook: 4-6 minutes; dinner in under 20 minutes 

 

Ahi Tuna Burger

with Spicy Mayo, Grilled Pineapple & Avocado

   

Ingredients

• 1 pound of ahi tuna (also called yellow fin)
• Oil for the skillet (optional teaspoon of sesame oil)
• 2 green onions
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger (¼ teaspoon dried, ground)
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons +⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon (or more) sriracha
• 4 slices of pineapple
• 2 Hass avocados
• Salt and pepper
• 4 hamburger type buns (I used brioche) toast them if you want
• Optional-yellow curry powder or ancho chili powder

1. Mix the ⅓ cup mayonnaise and the desired amount of sriracha together in the small storage container. Place it in the fridge until needed.
2. Slice the green onions as thin as possible. Use both the white and the green parts. Put the onions into the mixing bowl with the ginger, breadcrumbs, remaining mayonnaise, and soy sauce. Pat the tuna dry and chop it into very small pieces. Discard any skin or sinew. Place the tuna into the bowl. Add a TINY pinch of salt. Mix well. Carefully shape the tuna mixture into four equal burgers, cover in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge until needed. Placing them in the fridge helps them hold together.
3. Heat the skillet on high. Do not add oil yet. Pat the pineapple as dry as possible. Sprinkle both sides with the curry or chili powder if desired. When the skillet is very hot, add the pineapple and sear until brown and then flip. This should only take one or two minutes on each side. Set the pineapple aside.
4. Do not wash the skillet but add enough oil to it to cover the bottom. If you are using sesame oil, don’t use more than a teaspoon. The flavor is strong. Turn the heat down to medium-high. Add the tuna burgers sear for 1-2 minutes per side. You don’t want to overcook the tuna. You may need to add more oil to the pan when you flip them. Remove them from the pan and set them aside with the pineapple slices.
5. Cut the avocados open and remove the seeds. Use a knife to slice them into equal portions and flip the peel inside out so that the slices fall onto the plate. Lightly sprinkle the slices with salt and pepper. To make a burger, generously spread the sriracha mayo on each side of the bun, add a tuna burger, top the burger with a slice of pineapple then a few slices of avocado.

Chicken Scarperiello

If you look up Chicken Scarperiello (chicken of the shoemaker) you will find as many recipe

Chicken Scarperiello

variations as you can find Italian American Nonnas. Some people make the sauce with lemon juice and I have seen the addition of tomatoes. However, every recipe has chicken, sausage, onions, hot peppers, and a sour/vinegary sauce.

This is my version. If you cannot find Peppadews, use pickled cherry peppers. You need the brine and the heat for this dish. You can also serve this over roasted potatoes or some sort of tube pasta like penne, ziti or rigatoni. If a pasta has ‘rigati’ in its name that means ridged. These are even better to use. If you don't use low sodium broth, the amount of reduction that takes place will make your dish too salty. Also, use a mild wine. Something with a bold flavor like a chardonnay will overpower the sauce.

Servings: 4
Time:  Prep: 15 minutes; Cook: 45; Dinner in and hour
Hardware:  measuring cups and spoons, a cutting board and knives, a large, heavy skillet that can be used on top of the stove and in the oven (I prefer a cast iron skillet), a wooden spoon, tongs, a plate, a thermometer

 Ingredients:

• Olive oil for the skillet
• 2 links mild Italian sausage (8 ounces)
• 4 chicken thighs with skin
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large onion ( 1 cup)
• ½  red bell pepper
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 cup of dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
• ½ cup hot pickled Peppadew peppers (with brine)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 2 cups white rice for serving

1.  Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Slice the onion into rings and slice those in half. Cut the bell pepper into long, thin strips, removing the white inner ribs and seeds the onion, Dice the garlic. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken thighs. Measure everything else and set everything aside.
2. Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet over medium-high. Cook the sausages, turning occasionally, just until they are browned on all sides. They will not be cooked through. Remove them and set them on the plate.
3. Do not clean the skillet or wipe it out. Place the chicken, skin side down, into that same skillet. Cook the chicken until the skin is crispy then flip it. Cook it until it is brown on both sides. This will take about 4-5 minutes per side. The chicken will not be cooked through, either. Remove it and place it on the plate with the sausage.
4. Once more, do not clean it, but add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the same skillet. Sauté the aromatics until they begin to brown, stirring often. Make sure to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the wine and bring to a low simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer until the wine no longer smells of alcohol (5 minutes.) Add the chicken broth, the hot peppers with their brine, the vinegar and the 2 sprigs of rosemary. Boil for  about 5 more minutes.
5. Slice the sausage into bite sized pieces. Nestle the sausage and the chicken (skin side up) into the onion mixture. I try to submerge the sausage and keep the crispy skin above the liquid. Pour all the juices from the plate into the skillet. Place the skillet into the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through. Check to make sure the juices that run from the largest thigh are clear and the thermometer reads 165˚F. This took 15 minutes for me, but it depends on how much you cooked the chicken in the original step.
6. Taste and adjust the salt. Fish the rosemary from the liquid. Serve right away over rice.