March is a busy month for many families as we transition to longer days and spring activities. It’s nice to have a few easy dinner recipes to prepare during the chaos of a changing schedule. I follow The Defined Dish, where Alex Snodgrass shares easy family dinner recipes. Here’s my adaptation of one of her recipes. This 6-serving dish takes only 10 minutes to assemble and 30 minutes to cook. I use rotisserie chicken as a short cut.
Ingredients:
For the enchilada sauce:
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. arrowroot starch
2 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 T. tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
For the chicken mixture:
2 cups shredded chicken (I use rotisserie chicken)
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
For the Enchiladas:
1 ½ cups Mexican shredded cheese blend
12 tortillas (I use Siete almond flour tortillas)
2 green onions, sliced for garnish
Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
To make the sauce:
1. Melt butter in a small saucepan, then whisk in the arrowroot, chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic salt, onion powder, oregano and salt. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to prevent burning.
2. Stir the tomato paste until fully combined, then slowly whisk in 1 ½ cups of the beef broth. Cook until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Once sauce is very thick, remove from heat, and whisk in the last of the beef broth. Set aside.
To assemble the skillet:
1. Pull and shred the chicken. Combine the chicken, black beans and green chiles.
2. In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, spread ¾ cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom. Layer 4 tortillas on top, followed by half of the chicken mixture and ½ cup of cheese. Add ¾ cup of enchilada sauce on top.
3. For the second layer, place 4 more tortillas and the remaining chicken mixture on top. Then add ¾ cup of enchilada sauce.
4. Finish with 4 more tortillas, the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions and chopped cilantro. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and rice on the side.
*Note – If making ahead, use a casserole dish. A cast iron skillet is prone to rust when moisture is present for an extended time.