By Mother's Day. The first one where Jessica is a mom and not just "someone else's daughter on Mother's Day," which she says is a completely different experience. She's right. Being a mom has changed her in ways that are hard to describe — she's fiercer, softer, more tired, more alive. She's also significantly more opinionated about the dishwasher, but that might be unrelated.
I cooked brunch. This is my Mother's Day tradition, starting now, Year One, and I plan to do it every year until I'm too old to hold a spatula: I make Jessica whatever she wants for brunch, and she doesn't have to lift a finger. This year she wanted eggs Benedict, which is the most annoying brunch dish in existence because hollandaise sauce is essentially a science experiment that can fail at any moment. But I made it. Poached eggs, Canadian bacon, toasted English muffins, and a hollandaise that I whisked by hand because I don't own a blender and refuse to buy one on principle.
Sofia "helped" by standing in the kitchen holding a whisk and banging it against her high chair tray. She was wearing a onesie that said "Mommy's #1" that my mom bought, which Jessica finds adorable and I find factually accurate. We ate on the patio. Jessica had two cups of coffee and three eggs Benedict and said "this is perfect" and I believed her because Jessica doesn't say things she doesn't mean.
In the afternoon we drove to my parents' house so I could cook for my mom too. I made her chiles rellenos — the real ones, with roasted poblanos stuffed with Oaxacan cheese, dipped in egg batter, fried. It's her favorite dish and one of the hardest things I make, because the peppers have to be roasted perfectly (not too charred, not too raw), the cheese has to be the right amount (too much and it leaks, too little and what's the point), and the egg batter has to be fluffy and light, which requires separating the whites and beating them stiff. My mom tasted one and closed her eyes, which is Elena Rivera language for "this is correct."
My dad, who is not allowed to have opinions on Mother's Day but has them anyway, said my batter was a little heavy. I told him it was Mother's Day and his opinion was irrelevant. He said his opinion was always relevant. My mom told us both to be quiet and eat. We did. This is how my family works, and I wouldn't change a single thing about it.
The chiles rellenos I made for my mom that afternoon — roasted, stuffed, battered, fried — are a Sunday project, a labor of love, and honestly a little bit of a flex. But the flavors that made her close her eyes? That combination of roasted green chile, melted cheese, and something rich and creamy holding it all together? That lives in these enchiladas too, and on a Tuesday night when I want to bring a little of that Mother’s Day warmth back to the table, this is the recipe I reach for. It’s lighter than the rellenos, faster than the hollandaise, and it still gets the same quiet, satisfied silence from the people I love most.
Skinny Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 1 can (10 oz) green enchilada sauce
- 4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles, drained
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 medium flour tortillas (8-inch)
- 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread 1/4 cup of the green enchilada sauce across the bottom.
- Make the filling. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the Greek yogurt, diced green chiles, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until fully combined. Fold in the shredded chicken and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese.
- Fill the tortillas. Lay a tortilla flat and spoon about 1/3 cup of the chicken filling down the center. Roll it up snugly and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, nestling them closely together.
- Top and bake. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas, making sure the edges are covered so they don’t dry out. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese over the top.
- Bake until bubbling. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
- Rest and garnish. Let the enchiladas rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro if using. Serve warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 26g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 620mg