Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Bake

I *love* enchiladas. But they are a pain to make the traditional way. Torn tortillas and heating and saucing. This cuts the time down considerably. Even more of a time saver is if you buy the sauce instead of making it from scratch (Trader Joe's has a great Enchilada Sauce). But of course, from fresh means you can control the salt, the flavors and really make it just how you like it. Plus you can make a lot of it at once, and freeze it until you are ready for another batch.

The Sauce:
1 onion - rough chop
1-3 poblano/ancho peppers (fresh) - depending on how hot you like it
2 large tomatoes
1 can Rotel (or 1 can diced tomatoes + jalapeno)
3-4 garlic cloves
2-3 TBSP oregano
1 small can tomato paste
1 TBSP cumin
1 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Directions:
Slice tomato and put on tray with poblano/ancho peppers. Drizzle with oil and season with a little salt. Put in oven under broiler (low) for 15 minutes to roast and concentrate flavors.

Blend onion, peppers, tomatoes, rotel, garlic and oregano in blender/food processor until smooth. In a saucepan, add tomato paste and saute it for 3-5 minutes to cook it a little (will add a sweetness). Add in mixture from blender/food processor. Add 1 TBSP cumin, 1 TBSP chili powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Cook for 1-3 hours on low heat to let flavors develop and meld, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.

For Bake:
- Sauce (see above)
- Corn Tortillas (12)
- Mexican Cheese - about 2 cups
- 1 - 1.5 lbs chicken breast
- 1/2 14 oz can low-sodium Chicken Broth
- 1/2 to 1/3 onion diced

Directions:
In saute pan, add a little olive oil and the diced onion. Let soften, then add chicken and enough chicken broth to cover. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cook down until broth evaporates. Shred chicken.

In a 9x13 baking dish, spread a layer of the sauce. Then cover with 6 of the corn tortillas (tip: cut them in half to have a flat edge). Add chicken in even layer, top with coating of sauce and then cheese. Top with the remaining 6 tortillas. Cover with sauce and then cheese.

Bake in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

Enjoy!