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Friday, May 23, 2014

Bride of Magazine Challenge: Chicken Chilaquiles

So.
I'm sorry, but this month and the next may be a bit scant on the new recipes.  I'm in the midst of the end of school.  From now until June 27th I'm a titch busy.  But we'll see what happens.  J and I still need to eat.
I love simple meals.  This totally qualifies.  Even shredding the chicken myself, it didn't take that long.  If you keep cooked chicken in the freezer, it would be super simple.  On a Wednesday night, we need something simple when I get home from my guitar lesson.
I was unaware of what exactly "chilaquiles" are.  According to wikipedia:
Chilaquiles ... is a traditional Mexican dish. Typically, corn tortillas cut in quarters and lightly fried are the basis of the dish. Green or red salsa or mole is poured over the crisp tortilla triangles. The mixture is simmered until the tortilla starts softening. Eggs(scrambled or fried) and pulled chicken are sometimes added to the mix. The dish is topped with cheese (typicallyqueso fresco) and/or sweet Mexican cream, and it is served with refried beans. As with many Mexican dishes, regional and familial variation is quite common.
In central Mexico it is common for the tortilla chips to remain crisp. To achieve this, all ingredients except the salsa are placed on a plate and the salsa is poured at the last moment, seconds before serving. It is commonly garnished with cream, shredded queso fresco, raw onion rings and avocado slices.
Usually, chilaquiles are eaten at breakfast or brunch. This makes them a popular recipe to use leftover tortillas and salsas.
We were going to eat breakfast food for dinner, apparantly.  I'm not sure that I'd want this for breakfast, personally.  But I'd be happy to see it on the menu for a quick dinner.
I present to you now from the April 2006 issue of Everyday Food Chicken Chilaquiles:

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle chiles, minced plus 1 Tbsp adobo sauce
1-28 oz can whole tomatoes in puree
1 c chicken broth
4 c cooked chicken, shredded
4 c tortilla chips
1/4 c sour cream
1/4 c crumbled feta cheese
Method:
1.  In a large saucepan, heat oil and garlic until fragrant.  Add chiles and adobo sauce and cook until sizzling.
2.  Add broth and tomatoes, bringing to a boil.  Break up tomatoes with the back of a spoon.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken.  Add chicken and cook until heated through.
3.  Divide tortilla chips amongst 4 shallow bowls.  Top with hot chicken mixture, sour cream and feta cheese.  Serve immediately.

Adapted from Everyday Food, April 2006

This smelled delicious from the very beginning.  I'm a big fan of the smoky flavour of chipotles, and this recipe gives lots of flavour.  The other thing that chipotles give is a nice, slow burn.  Just as a warning to those who don't like it spicy.
I might have actually let the sauce simmer another 5 minutes to thicken a little more.  But with the crisp chips, a sauce that can soak in is all good.
We really enjoyed this.  The feta was sharp and bright against the rest of the dish, and I loved the sour cream with the tomato sauce.  We started with our hands, but finished eating with a spoon.
And perfect for a spring dinner that can be ready in about 30 minutes.  Or, you know, any season really.

1 comment:

  1. They do look tasty, but not much like breakfast food. ;)

    ReplyDelete