One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake

by Susan Hanna

This recipe from Half Baked Harvest is a savoury and hearty one skillet meal. Cook ground chicken with spices and jalapeno, stir in enchilada sauce and rice and cook until the rice is tender. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and lime juice and top with cheese and tortilla chips. Bake until the cheese has melted and top with avocado, cilantro and yogurt or sour cream. Cooks’ note: I wasn’t able to find additive-free enchilada sauce, so I made my own; the recipe is below.

Serves 6.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Imagine Organic broth and La Costena chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. No Name tomato sauce and tomato paste are additive free. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used President’s Choice Kettle-Style tortilla chips, No Name pizza mozzarella cheese and No Name sour cream. For more recipes using all-natural ingredients, visit Eye For a Recipe.

Ingredients:

Enchilada sauce

• 1 to 1 ½ cups (250 to 375 ml) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 ½ to 2 ½ tablespoons (22.5 to 37.5 ml) canned chipotle adobo sauce, divided
• One  443-ml (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup (83 ml) tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) mild chili powder
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) oregano
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) onion granules (not powdered)
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Chicken tortilla enchilada bake

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound (454 g) ground chicken, beef, or turkey
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped, use to your taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) kosher salt
• 2 ½ cups (625 ml) red enchilada sauce
• 1 chipotle chili in adobo, chopped (optional)
• 1 cup (250 ml) dry long grain rice
• ½ cup (125 ml) fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 cups (500 ml) tortilla chips
• 1-2 cups (250-500 ml) shredded Mexican cheese
• Sliced avocado and yogurt or sour cream, for serving

Preparation:

Enchilada sauce

1. To begin, add all ingredients to your blender, starting with 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable broth and 1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) adobo sauce (You can add more broth and adobo sauce while the enchilada sauce is cooking to doctor the consistency and taste.) Blend, starting on low speed and working up to high speed, for about 30 seconds.
2. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 12 to 18 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the flavours have deepened. Stir every few minutes ; cover the pot with a splatter screen if needed. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper as needed. (Salt amounts will vary depending on sodium in your broth.) Add more adobo sauce to your liking for a smokier and spicier flavour. If the sauce thickens too much, add more vegetable broth to thin it out.
3. Once the sauce is thick and flavourful, remove it from the heat. You can use it right away or store in the fridge. Makes 15 ounces (625 ml).

Chicken tortilla enchilada bake

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 C).
2. In a large oven safe skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the ground chicken and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeños, garlic, paprika, cumin, and salt, cook 1 minute. Stir in the enchilada sauce, chipotle chili, if using, and 2 cups (500 ml) of water. Bring to a boil, stir in the rice. Place the lid on the skillet and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked into the rice, but not all of it.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the chicken/rice. Add the tortilla chips on top, pressing them gently into the cheese. Evenly sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
4. Serve topped as desired with avocado, cilantro, and yogurt.

From Half Baked Harvest