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–+ servings

LuLu's Chicken Enchiladas

My mom's enchilada recipe is a wonderful comfort meal. Over time, I embellished the recipe. But in the past few years, I've gone back to this dish's original roots.
Use your favorite sauce, but my family likes Las Palmas enchilada sauce. Nothing else tastes quite the same to us!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 20 Enchiladas

Equipment

Roasting Pan (with V-rack) big enough to both roast the chicken and bake 20 enchiladas
Meat themometer

Ingredients
  

  • 1 5-6 lb roasting chicken To save time, you can also buy a rotisserie chicken.
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 2 tbsp corn oil
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 1 6 lb can Las Palmas enchilada sauce
  • 2.5 lbs cheddar cheese shredded
  • 2.5 lbs Jack cheese shredded
  • 20 corn tortillas
  • 8 oz Iceberg lettuce shredded

Instructions
 

Chicken Preparation

  • Pre-heat oven to 400°
  • Place whole chicken on a roasting rack in a roasting pan
  • Rub chicken with salt and pepper
  • Squeeze the lime juice over the chicken
  • Drizzle with the corn oil
  • Roast chicken for about 1½ hours or until meat thermometer reaches 175°
  • Remove chicken from oven andp let cool completely
  • In a large bowl, add chopped onions and enchilada sauce
  • Shred cooled chicken and add to the bowl
  • Let chicken marinate in the sauce and onions for at least an hour

Enchilada Assembly

  • Meanwhile, soften the corn tortillas in a 300° oven.
    Watch them! You want the tortillas soft and pliable.
  • In a well-oiled roasting pan or casserole dish, fill each tortilla with the sauce mixture, add the chesses, and roll the tortilla.
  • Repeat, tucking each enchilada closely to the next one.
  • When the pan is full, pour the rest of the sauce mixture over the top, and top with more cheese.
  • Place enchiladas in a 375° oven for 25-30 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the iceberg lettuce over the top as soon as the enchiladas come out of the oven.

Notes

Time-Savers

Use already-shredded cheeses and lettuce!
Roast the chicken the day before, and refrigerate overnight.
Assemble the enchiladas the night before, and bake day-of.  Just make sure to bring them to room temp before baking.

Serving suggestions:

 
With all that cheesy-goodness and sauce on top, it can be difficult to find where to insert your spatula for the next enchilada.  PRO TIP:  look at the ends, next to the pan.  The cheese usually isn't as thick there, and you can insert the spatula and carefully (so you don't rip the enchilada) work your way across the pan.  
Keyword comfort food, jalapeno
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