Cheesy Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas (with Guac & Marg Bonus Recipes)

It's snowing here in Denver and I just enjoyed the last leftover enchilada to warm myself up! I've experimented with many recipes for sour cream chicken enchiladas, which was my favorite Mexican dish growing up in Texas, where Tex-Mex food is so good it will make you weep in your salsa. I think this is, by far, the closest to enchiladas n my memory.

Cheesy Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas

Begin by turning oven to 350.

Bone a deli roast chicken or cook and shred whole chicken or chicken breasts to yield about 2 1/2 c. chicken, chopped or shredded. Put in a big bowl.

Soften a dozen corn tortillas by putting them on a plate, sprinkling with water and inverting another plate on top and microwaving about a minute and a half.

In a big skillet, prepare cheese sauce.

Saute 1/2 chopped onion (you can also add some chopped green pepper here if you like) and 1 minced garlic clove in a little olive oil.

Add 2 1/2 c. half-n-half to the skillet, and heat until simmering around the edges.
To this mixture slowly stir in about a cup of grated cheese, any kind you like. This is a great recipe to use up bits of leftover cheese.
Add 1/4 c. bottled picante sauce
1 t. cumin powder

Now, Greg doesn't like little "bits" of onion and "green things" in his food, so at this point, I blend the cheese sauce in a blender to make it smooth for him.

Then ladle about 1 cup of the cheese sauce onto your bowl of chicken and mix until chicken in generously coated. (Adding more sauce if needed)

Put an oblong Pyrex casserole at the ready, spraying bottom with nonstick cooking spray.

Put a couple of Tablespoons or so, of chicken-cheese sauce mixture in each softened tortilla, roll up and place in pan. When your pan is full, pour rest of cheese sauce over all.

Then, put dollops of sour cream (about 2/3 cup) on top of enchiladas, and using a knife
swirl through the cheese, in a pretty pattern. Finally top with one more handful of grated cheese. Garnish with sliced jalapenos and bits of sundried tomato.

Bake until cheese is melted and edges are golden.

Wonderful served with fresh guacamole, chips, salad and fresh margaritas!

Okay, recipe for quac and margaritas?

Here ya go.

Guacamole:

2 avocados, peeled and mashed
1 minced clove garlic (I love those garlic presses for this)
Good squeeze of fresh lime (about 1 - 2 T.)
A pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
Seeded, chopped tomato if desired

Super Fresh Margaritas

Fill blender about 2/3 full with ice
2/3 c. - 1 c. white/clear tequila (better for those prone to headaches)
2 fresh limes, squeezed (if not very juicy, use more!)
1 big juicy fresh orange, squeezed (or 2 -3 seedless clementines)
real maple syrup or agave nectar to sweeten (this varues according to individual taste, but I don't like mine very sweet.)
(can also add 1/2 chopped fresh mango or 1 peach)

Blend until smooth, serve in salt-rimmed glasses and top each margarita with a squeeze of fresh orange or tangerine juice floating atop before serving.

These are very fresh tasting, with no corn syrup sweetener or artificial flavors. I am very prone to headaches from alcohol, but I can enjoy one of these with no ill effects.