Mrs. Obregon's Chicken Enchiladas

[andiesenji]

Mrs. Obregon's Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe came from my neighbor who is from Durango, Mexico. Lived on a ranch with her husband and children until 1987 when they turned the ranch over to their two eldest sons and emigrated (legally) to California and settled here, close to their oldest daughter.

They have a lot of family celebrations which require massive amounts of food and I have helped prepare 200 tamales beef, chicken, etc., numerous enchiladas, burritos, tortas, chemichangas, etc., and my oven has been host to huge amounts of beef, chicken, goat, pork and various baked goods.

I love Mexican foods of any type, especially enchiladas, and have eaten them in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and of course in several parts of Mexico.

These are the best enchiladas I have ever tasted and I had to work to get the recipe.

This recipe would be for a 4-pound chicken.

18 to 24 corn tortillas, the extra-thick are more like the home-made ones we use.

The chicken is roasted, not poached, either in the oven or on the barbecue(barbacoa) and always has a lemon and half of a large onion stuffed into the cavity along with cumin seeds, Mexican tarragon, and a whole Anaheim chile pepper. The latter is for flavor, not heat.

Cooking time depends on the size of the chicken - when the leg wiggles freely it is done.

The skin is set aside along with the carcass after all the meat has been removed. (The bones, skin and wings go into a pot to make a broth.)

The meat is pulled into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with the following mixture:

1 fresh chile poblano seeded and deveined then finely chopped. If more heat is desired use 3-4 jalapeños or 4-5 serranos.

2 medium tomatoes, cut in half, broiled for 3 minutes then chopped

3 tomatillos, cut in half, broiled for 5 minutes then chopped.

2 cloves of garlic minced.

1 medium onion, finely chopped.

3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cumin

Combine all ingredients and cook in a little oil in a large skillet just until it begins to stew.

Remove from heat, cool and toss with chicken. Set aside.

Cut Jack cheese into strips 1 inch wide by 1/4 inch thick, 4-5 inches long. If you have access to Mexican cheese, use Queso Fresca or Queso Seco, Cotija.

Into 12 oz of tomato sauce mix 3 tablespoons of tomato paste

Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground chile guajillo or chile arbol or other freshly ground whole chile.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet

Add 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir constantly until garlic is just beginning to show color

Add the tomato sauce and heat until it bubbles. Remove from heat allow to cool slightly.

Fry tortillas in a little oil until just softened and pliable. Stack on a plate and cover to keep warm.

Lay a tortilla on top of sauce then pick up with tongs and lay in baking dish sauce side up.

Place a strip of the cheese on the tortilla.

Add a portion of the chicken mixture on top of the cheese, fold the sides of the tortilla over the chicken and turn it over so the seam side is on the bottom.

Continue adding them side by side until the baking dish is full.

Pour a line of the sauce down the center of the enchiladas then add a few strips of the Jack cheese diagonally across the sauce, or you can use shredded mild cheddar.

Bake in a 300 degree oven for 15 -20 minutes, or just until cheese is melted.

Top each portion with a spoonful of salsa fresca and a dollop of sour cream on top.

For a breakfast dish serve two enchiladas topped with a fried egg.

( RG1221 )