Chicken Enchiladas — The Sunday After the Second Sentencing

Cody was sentenced Monday March thirtieth to twenty months at the Tulsa County jail. The prosecutor and Mrs. Patel had agreed in negotiations the previous week to a plea on the lesser charge of simple possession with credit for the eight days he had served pre-bond. Cody pleaded guilty in the morning and was taken into custody at one in the afternoon. Aunt Tammy drove Mama and me to the courthouse and back. The release date, with good behavior credit, is going to be around mid-November 2021.

The recipe Sunday was chicken enchiladas — the standard shredded-chicken-and-cheese version, baked under enchilada sauce. The kind of meal the household needed.

The recipe is below.

Chicken Enchiladas

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce, divided
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles, drained
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 flour tortillas (8-inch)
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
• 2 green onions, sliced, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce across the bottom.
2. Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, green chiles, sour cream, 3/4 cup of the cheese, garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
3. Fill the tortillas. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
4. Top and bake. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese and black olives if using. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
5. Finish uncovered. Remove the foil and bake an additional 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are lightly golden.
6. Garnish and serve. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with sliced green onions and serve warm with rice, beans, or a simple salad.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 410 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 34g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 820mg