Recipe: Chicken and Zucchini Layered Enchilada

Today is the day! Enchiladas made, Mexican feast delivered, Rubik's cube solved. Perfection.
Ok, I didn't solve the Rubik's cube. But everything else is true. Scout's honor!

Enchiladas are crazy easy to make, especially when you make them casserole-style (as I do). You can use nearly anything for a filling, just add some enchilada sauce, cheese, and tortillas and BAM! Enchilada madness. These are made with leftover chicken and zucchini. Leftover chicken because I had it, and it needed to be used. Zucchini because I received some in my CSA box and it's extremely important to me to use fresh, local produce. I'm lucky because I live in California, which means that some kind of produce is available year-round. In August I'm moving to Boston for grad school, and I'm already wondering what kind of CSA boxes are available, or if anything even grows in Boston in the winter! I've never lived on the east coast, so I have no idea what to expect.
You can make these vegetarian really easily by leaving out the chicken and the chicken broth, and doubling the amount of zucchini (or squash of your choice) and substituting veggie broth.
If you're looking to turn your enchiladas into a full-blown fiesta, add some pico de gallo and a margarita or two!

Sauce:
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 C chicken broth
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp flour
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan.
Allow to simmer 10-15 minutes, until sauce has reduced by about 1/2 C. While you are waiting for the sauce to reduce, start on the enchiladas.

1 medium zucchini
1/2 lb of chicken
quarter of an onion, diced, about 1/3 C
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 TB olive oil
4 turns black pepper mill
1/4 tsp salt
1.5 C jack cheese
corn tortillas

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic and the onion, saute until fragrant. Add the zucchini, the pepper, and the salt.
Cook until browned on the edges. This is total zucchini porn. This is when you know it's getting good-when it get brown and slightly caramelized. Delicious!
Add the chicken. If you're using leftover chicken, cook a few minutes just until the chicken is heated through. If you're using raw chicken, cook until the chicken is cooked through.
Turn off the heat, and assemble the casserole.
First spoon a very light layer of sauce on the bottom of a pan 8x8" W and approximately 2.5" D. Then add a layer of tortilla, followed by chicken and zucchini mixture, sauce, and cheese. Repeat. Then add a final layer of tortilla, sauce and cheese.
Your casserole should be:
Little bit of sauce
tortilla
chicken and zucchini
sauce
cheese
-
tortilla
chicken and zucchini
sauce
cheese
-
tortilla
sauce
cheese
At this point, you can either cook it or store it to cook at a later date. It will keep for about two days in the fridge, or if frozen it will keep for at least 4 months, possibly longer.
If you cook it immediately, put it in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. After refrigerating, cook at 350 for about 30-45 minutes. After freezing cook it at 350 for 30 minutes covered and 30 minutes uncovered.


So. Good.

<3 Stef