Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken Mixture:
- 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into small pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground chili powder
- 2 tablespoons light sour cream, optional (can substitute plain yogurt)
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced
Pumpkin Sauce:
- One 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cloves peeled garlic
- 1 jalapeño chile, quartered (remove seeds for less heat, if desired)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground chili powder
Tortillas and Cheese For Topping:
- 10 corn tortillas, steamed (see below)
- 1½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings:
- Dollop sour cream
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 425°.
- Grease a 13x9x2-inch rectangular baking dish and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine chicken and first 7 ingredients; set aside.
- In a blender, purée pumpkin, broth, garlic, jalapeño, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder until smooth.
- Steam the tortillas. For a slide show of this process see how to steam tortillas in the techniques section of my cookbook. Place the tortillas in a glass pie pan or a wide pasta bowl. Cover with a dinner plate. Place in the microwave. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Check to see if tortillas are warm and pliable. If needed, put back in microwave and heat 10 seconds at a time until done.
- Place tortillas on a work surface.
- Spoon about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture in center of each tortilla.
- Roll into a tight log and place in the baking dish.
- Pour pumpkin sauce on top of rolled tortillas.
- Sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake uncovered until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Serve with optional sour cream and fresh cilantro.
Recipe adapted from Food Everday: Great Food Fast, by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. New York: Clarkson Poiter Publishers (2007).
Comments
Serves 4 adults.You can assemble the enchiladas up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. Pumpkin sauce should be added just before baking. Allow for 10 to 15 minutes more baking time.
I always serve my enchiladas with a side of Mexican rice and refried beans.
Not in the mood for a traditional side? How about serving a black bean, corn, and, tomato salad or some spicy roasted hominy?
For a more traditional tasting enchilada see my chicken enchiladas verde recipe.