Chicken Enchiladas with a spicy habanero sauce

I think if I had to choose a favorite Mexican dish, it would be enchiladas, without a doubt. The first time I had them and took a bite of that gooey, cheesy, spicy and flavorful goodness, I knew I’d be making these again for myself.

The recipe is very simple and all the ingredients can most likely be found in your pantry or spice rack. It’s a bit time consuming and takes some coordinated effort to simultaneously cook the chicken, beans and sauce, but the result is delicious!

These enchiladas are really spicy because of the whole habanero chili I use, so if you aren’t a big spice guy, I would recommend only using half of the habanero or use a jalapeno, which still give it a manageable kick.

Chicken Enchiladas with spicy habanero sauce (makes 3 enchiladas)

3 Tbsp. chili powder


2 Tbsp. flour


1/2 tsp. garlic powder


1/2 tsp. salt


1/4 tsp. cumin


1/4 tsp. oregano


1/2 tsp. paprika

2 cups chicken stock


3 Tbsp. oil (vegetable or canola)


1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, drained


1 tsp honey

2 chicken breasts

1 onion, diced


1 habanero chili if you want more heat or 1 jalapeno if not, finely diced

1 slice bacon, chopped

2 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese


3 flour tortillas

Directions

1) Pre-heat over to 350 degrees.

2) Heat 3 Tbsp of oil for a few minutes over medium heat and then add first 7 ingredients to form a roux. Llet cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Once roux is cooked through, add 2 cups chicken stock, lower the heatand let simmer for a few minutes. Add chicken and poach until cooked, around 10 minutes depending on heat.

4) Sauté onions, bacon and habanero in a pan over medium heat with a few pats of butter until onions are translucent.

5) Drain beans into a small pot and cook over low heat until warm. Add honey while heated (I think the honey adds a nice counter-balance to the heat of the habanero).

6) Take chicken out of sauce and shred or dice it. Keep sauce on low heat.

7) Grease a baking dish and lay out tortillas. Assemble them by putting the chicken down first, then sauce, followed by beans, then onion/bacon/habanero mix and finally some shredded cheese. Roll then up, place in the dish, cover with more sauce and bake for 10 minutes.

8) Take out of the oven and cover with cheese, then put them back in the over for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.