One of the exciting things about living in the Rio Grande Valley is learning about new cuisine.
It's remarkable how many variations there are on enchiladas. It's a very personal taste whose recipe varies from household to household.
Chicken Enchiladas Fresca
1 1/2 C cooked chicken, shredded**
1 jalepeno, seeds removed, small dice
3 T fresh red pepper, small dice
3 T red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp comino (cumin)
1 lime
8 corn tortillas, fresh
1-2 C of enchilada sauce OR a can of your favorite sauce
Remove seeds and finely dice jalepeno and red pepper.
Thinly slice red onion and put in the bowl with the diced peppers.
Add shredded chicken, comino, and the juice of 1 lime.
Combine all spices and vegetables completely.
If the tortillas are not fresh and still warm, soften them slightly in a frying pan. This makes them easier to roll.
Spoon a couple of tablespoons of chicken and vegetable mixture onto a tortilla and roll. Place in 9x13 pan. Repeat with all chicken and tortillas.
Cover tortillas with enchilada sauce.
Cook in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or until they are warm all the way through and enchilada sauce is bubbly.
Serve with Pineapple Salsa or your favorite condiments.
A note about these enchiladas and the reason I call them Fresca -- none of the vegetables were cooked ahead of time. Often times when I'm making enchiladas I'll saute' all of the veggies prior to putting them into the chicken and spices. This version is a little "fresher" in that the vegetables end up with a little more tooth to them and still full of their raw flavor.
Secondly, there's no cheese in this recipe which makes it much lighter, significantly lower in fat, and much closer to the way that enchiladas and tacos are served here in the Valley.
Enjoy!
**use the chicken italiano meat for an "encore performance"
