Turkey Enchiladas

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, there is the annual challenge of (1) getting out of your temporary food coma, and (2) deciding what to do with all those leftovers! Stuart and I hosted Thanksgiving at our apartment for the first time this year, and even though we only had 7 people total, we somehow decided we should buy a 20 pound turkey from Costco (Why? Because it was the best deal, obviously!!). With about half the turkey left come Friday, Stuart and I have diligently eaten turkey for just about every meal since. But last night, I decided we needed to mix it up with the absolute best use of leftover turkey - enchiladas! 

A while back I had bookmarked this recipe for chicken enchiladas, and I figured it would be a cinch to update it by using leftover cooked turkey instead. It was really easy (about 1 hour prep time or less) and paid off in the form of 2-3 meals worth of food for the both of us. Next time, I want to try my hand at green chile enchiladas, but this red sauce version is definitely a keeper. 

 

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons sugar

1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 1/2 pounds leftover turkey OR uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large chicken breasts)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas (fajita-size for flour tortillas)

cooking spray

salt and ground black pepper

Directions: 

1.     In a large saucepan, combine the onion, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer.

2.     If using uncooked chicken, nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12-20 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts you are using. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool. Continue to simmer the sauce over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

3.     If using cooked turkey or chicken, cook the sauce by itself for 15-20 minutes to develop the flavors. Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the leftover onion mixture from the strainer to a large bowl and set aside.

4.     Preheat the oven to 400. Meanwhile, shred the turkey or chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onion mixture in the large bowl. Also stir in 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese and the cilantro. Toss to combine.

5.     Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the turkey mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.

6.     Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas. Most of the sauce will settle in the bottom of the pan, and that's just fine (you can always spoon it back on top of the cooked enchiladas before serving). Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil and bake 20 minutes, or until heated through.

7.     Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

8.     Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or additional cilantro, if desired.