Ground Chicken Enchiladas

These Ground Chicken Enchiladas are unforgettable! What you’ll get is  an extra flavorful, soft flour tortilla stuffed with perfectly seasoned ground chicken and rice, drenched in enchilada sauce, and topped with sharp cheddar cheese. This recipe is perfect to feed a larger crowd because it comes together so quickly and can easily be doubled or even tripled.

What makes this recipe special:

• out of this world flavor
• comes together very quickly
• freezer meal friendly

Step-by-step Instructions:

1. Sauté onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Add diced tomatoes and diced jalapeño. Cook for 3 minutes or until the tomatoes are mushy.

2. Add in ground chicken and seasonings. Cooks for 5-7 minutes.

3. Add rice and 4 tablespoons for the enchilada sauce. Let mixture simmer on low for about 2-3 minutes, mixing frequently.

4. On the bottom of the baking dish, pour 1/2 of the left enchilada sauce. Add about 1/4 cup of the mixture on center of tortilla, fold in the sides, and roll. 

5. Place filled enchiladas in the dish. Pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce on top of the Ground Chicken Enchiladas. Using a pastry brush, brush so that the sauce covers all of the enchiladas. Top with cheese.

6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes covered. Then, uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.

Can I use canned tomatoes?

Yes- In fact, if you are looking to save some time, you can substitute 1-(10oz) can of diced tomatoes and chilies in place of the tomatoes and one jalapeño in this recipe. The benefit here would be that you are saving time by not having to wash and dice the tomatoes and jalapeño. In most grocery stores, a can of diced tomatoes and chilies can be found in the Mexican or Latino sections near other taco products.

What type of tortillas are best?

Original enchiladas are made with corn tortillas, however, I used flour tortillas in my Ground Chicken Enchilada recipe because in my opinion, they taste better and are much easier to roll. However, you can use any kind of tortilla. For a lower carb option, use low carb tortillas and omit the rice.

Freezing instructions:

These enchiladas freeze well, making them perfect for meal prep and for all that love enjoy having leftovers. To freeze,  once the enchiladas have cooled completely, wrap enchiladas individually in plastic wrap and place the wrapped enchiladas in a freezer zip lock back.  The Ground Chicken Enchiladas can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Enchilada toppings:

• avocados
• sour cream
• green onions
• herbs such as fresh parsley or fresh cilantro

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 cup cooked rice or choice (about 1/3 cup dry)
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 green jalapeno, diced 
• 1  cup diced tomatoes (about 2 roma tomatoes) 
• 1/2 Tablespoon cumin
• 1 Tablespoon  parsley flakes
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon chili powder
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 8-10 soft flour tortillas
• 1 can mild enchilada sauce (10oz, 283g)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 370°F.
2. Cook rice of choice per package instructions. One cup of cooked rice is about 1/3 of a cup of dry rice.
3. In a large skilled, drizzle oil and on medium heat, sauté onions and garlic until the garlic is softened and translucent or about 2 minutes. 
4. Add diced tomatoes and diced jalapeño. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. Then add in the ground chicken and break apart with a wooden spoon or spatula.
5. To the chicken mixture, add cooked rice, cumin, parsley flakes, chili powder, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook chicken thoroughly, about 5-7 minutes.
6. Add 4 tablespoons of the enchilada sauce to the chicken mixture and mix well. Cook for another 2 minutes, mixing frequently. Once the mixture has simmered for about 2 minutes, remove from heat.
7. In an 8×10-inch or 9×13-inch baking dish, pour half of the enchilada sauce and spread evenly on the bottom of the dish.
8. Assemble the enchiladas by placing about 1/4 cup of the ground chicken mixture in the center of the flour tortillas. Fold the sides so the mixture doesn’t seep through and roll. Align the enchiladas in  the baking dish and pour the remainder of the  enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Brush with a pastry brush so that all of the enchiladas are covered with sauce.
9. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes covered, then 5 minutes with the aluminum foil off. 
10. Remove from oven and serve warn. See notes above on suggested toppings.