By Hector is home. He has a full-time aide now — a woman named Clara, who Mom found through the church, who comes Monday through Friday and helps with the physical aspects of care that have exceeded what Marisol can manage alone. Hector does not like having an aide. He has expressed this opinion to everyone who will listen and several who tried not to. Clara ignores his complaints with a professional serenity that I find enormously impressive. She made him green chile eggs on her second day. He ate them and complained they weren't spicy enough. She made them spicier on the third day. He said they were better. She nodded. She knows who she's dealing with.
I called him on Sunday and he complained about Clara's cleaning methods. He complained with a vigor and specificity that told me he was feeling relatively strong that day. The complaints are a health metric. When the complaints are specific and detailed, he has energy. When they're vague or absent, he doesn't. This week the complaints were specific and detailed. I told him Clara sounded excellent. He said she was insufferably competent. I said that sounded right for his situation. He said it wasn't funny. I said it was a little funny. He said fine, maybe a little.
Made green chile cornbread this week and drove the loaf down to Las Cruces. Not a special trip — I was doing errands in Pueblo and extended the drive. It came out right: the cast-iron crust, the steam inside, the heat from the green chile. I left it on the kitchen counter. Hector had it with dinner and called me at nine PM to tell me it was good. This is the highest form of appreciation in this family. A nine PM call to report that the food was good.
The cornbread was the right call for Hector — cast iron, green chile, something he could have with dinner and call about at nine PM — but it got me thinking about what else I keep reaching for when I need to feed someone I love across a distance. These Air Fryer Southwestern Chicken Enchiladas have the same logic: green chile heat, real comfort, no fuss. Clara would probably make them spicier. That’s the correct instinct.
Air Fryer Southwestern Chicken Enchiladas
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 22 min | Total Time: 37 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup roasted green chiles, chopped (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup diced white onion
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 small flour tortillas (6-inch)
- 1 cup green chile enchilada sauce, divided
- Cooking spray
- Fresh cilantro and sliced scallions, for serving
Instructions
- Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, green chiles, 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack, sour cream, onion, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Assemble the enchiladas. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll tightly and place seam-side down. Work in two batches of four if needed depending on your air fryer size.
- Sauce and top. Spoon 2 tablespoons of green chile enchilada sauce over each rolled enchilada in the air fryer basket. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over the top. Lightly coat with cooking spray.
- Air fry. Cook at 375°F for 10–12 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the edges of the tortillas are lightly crisped. Repeat with second batch if applicable.
- Serve. Warm the remaining enchilada sauce and spoon over the top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and scallions. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 480 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 21g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 870mg