Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Bake

Sometimes cooking isn’t about inspiration or impulse or craving. Sometimes you cook to please others. Sometimes you just cook what your mama tells you to cook.

Yesterday was the latter.

My mom was having a big family lunch at her house (She has a lot of these. We like to eat.) This particular lunch was a Mexican food theme. I was told to make Chicken Enchiladas. So I did. Sort of. I made layered enchiladas. If you like the regular rolled kind, by all means, roll ’em up darlin’! I have absolutely nothing against rolled enchiladas. That’s how they are intended to be. But if you are feeding a crowd, this layered method goes a lot further. (And it’s less time consuming.) Go with your instincts. It’ll turn out.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Bake

for chicken:

3 bone-in large chicken breast

Fajita seasoning

1 lime, juiced

Season chicken with fajita seasoning. Place in crock pot. Pour lime juice over chicken and then add water until bottom of pot is covered by 1″ layer of liquid.

Cook on low setting 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Shred chicken.

for sour cream sauce:

1/2 cup butter

1 clove garlic, minced

4 Tbs. flour

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups sour cream

1 can diced green chilies

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Saute garlic in butter until soft 2-3 minutes. Mix in flour & allow to heat through for 1-2 minutes. Add milk & stir constantly until thickened. Stir in sour cream & green chilies. Set aside.

for layers:

1 package (10-12 count) flour tortillas

1 large sweet onion, sliced or diced

1 Tbs oil

shredded chicken

1 1/2 cups shredded mexican cheese blend

Heat oil in skillet on medium-low heat. Place onions in skillet and saute until caramelized (about 20 minutes). Set aside.

Cut tortillas into 2″ strips. Cover bottom of baking dish, 2-3 layers, with tortilla strips. Reserve equal amount for top layer.

Spread entire amount of shredded chicken over tortillas. Next spread caramelized onions. Then sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese. Layer with reserved tortilla strips, again 2-3 layers, covering the top. Finally, pour reserved sour cream sauce generously over the dish and cover with 1 cup cheese.

Bake in 350 oven for 20-30 minutes, until cheese is melted & bubbly.