Chicken and Bean Enchiladas

This recipe is a twist on a yummy Mexican classic – enchiladas! I’m not real sure how or why I came up with this one, but I’ve been making it for about 4 years now and still think they’re amazing. Now, I probably wouldn’t bring someone’s Hispanic grandmother over to try these out, but anyone who enjoys Mexican food and a little bit of culinary adventure are prime targets as guinea pigs.

My secret ingredient that makes people go “Hmmm….what is that….I like it!” is crushed pineapple. Crushed pineapple in chicken and bean enchiladas??? Yup! And it’s amazingly delicious too! I’ve made these for several friends and family members over the years and have yet to find someone who did not like the pineapple addition. Try it out and you’ll be pleasantly surprised, I promise.

For this recipe I use your basic rotisserie chicken from the store, but if you prefer to bake and shred your own chicken breasts feel free – I find my version to be less labor intensive. I also use chopped cilantro, which I know a lot of people strongly dislike. Cilantro is a bonus for those of us who like it, but it’s not a deal-breaker if you leave it out. Bon appetite!

Time from Prep to Eating: 50 minutes

What You Need:
Glass 9”x13” baking dish
Small or Medium skillet

The Stuff:
1 rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded
2 cans black beans, drain only 1 can
½ medium white onion, chopped
28 oz and 15.5 oz can of your favorite enchilada sauce
15.5 oz can of crushed pineapple
8 oz bag of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8, 10” burrito tortillas
Small handful of cilantro, chopped
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cumin

Here’s What You Do:
Grease the baking dish with any non-stick cooking spray and pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

In the skillet heat the onions over medium heat (using a little olive oil) for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beans, salt, pepper and cumin and heat through for an additional 5 minutes.

Once the beans are cooked take your tortillas and layer the ingredients in the center of each tortilla. In the picture below I layered as follows 1) chicken, 2) beans, 3) spoon-full of pineapple, 4) pinch of cilantro, 5) large pinch of cheese, and 6) large spoon-full of enchilada sauce. Roll each tortilla with the filling and place side-by-side in the baking dish. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Serve with a side of pineapple, sour cream and avocado.

Humus

I love humus. I think it’s one of the most delicious dips on the planet. Fortunately, it’s also one of the easiest to make, cheapest to buy, and healthiest to eat as well! We should all do our part to eat more humus. Our hearts and tummies would thank us.

Now I know that I’m biased – this is after all my food blog – but I swear this is the best humus EVER. It’s got a garlicky kick so if you’re sensitive to garlic I recommend using only half of a small clove, and increase the lemon juice by ½ Tbsp to add more flavor.

If you need some ideas for how to serve humus, here are a few that I use:
-as a dip to any chip, cracker, or vegetable
-instead of mayonnaise on a sandwich, try humus instead
-bake some bread crostini’s, top with humus and roasted red pepper
-bake some bread crostini’s with melted mozzarella cheese, then dip in humus
-need a little dip or extra spice to your chicken at dinner? Dip it in some humus!

Time from Prep to Eating: 10 minutes

What You Need:
Food processor

The Stuff:
1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, reserve ¼ cup liquid but drain the rest
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons Tahini
1 medium to large clove garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pepper to taste
Drizzle with olive oil, paprika, parsley

Here’s What You Do:
Drain the chickpeas and set aside ¼ cup garbanzo liquid from can. Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until desired texture…usually about 1-2 minutes on medium to high (I prefer my humus creamy without grit).

Before you serve, sprinkle with parsley, paprika, and finish with olive oil.