Edie's Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe is courtesy of a long time friend from Reno, Nevada. While I love these enchiladas made with chicken, I've probably made them more often with turkey ... and what a great way to use up leftovers from one of those large birds! Edie never made her own enchilada sauce, but she was always very specific about the brand name of her favorite sauce. I've included it here, but if you can't find that brand in your store, simply use either your homemade sauce or whatever brand is your favorite.

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken or turkey
1 onion, chopped
4 Tbs. sliced black olives, divided (optional)
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
12 corn tortillas
1 large can Rosarita brand mild enchilada sauce
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a 9 x 12 baking dish by spreading 2 tablespoons of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the dish. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce into a shallow dish, like a pie plate. Mix the shredded chicken or turkey together with the onion, 2 tablespoons of the olives, and the cup of cheeses in a large bowl. Prepare the tortillas by stacking them on a plate, covering them with a damp paper towel, then heating them on 50% power for 1 minute in the microwave. Keep the tortillas warm while you are filling them, by keeping them covered with the damp towel. Dip one tortilla in the enchilada sauce, so that the sauce lightly coats both sides of the tortilla. I usually get a little messy doing this, especially because I use my fingers to remove some of the sauce from the tortillas before I fill them. Place several tablespoons of the chicken or turkey mixture in the tortilla and roll it up to seal. Place the tortilla into the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Heating the tortillas, along with dipping them in the sauce, should keep them from splitting, but don't worry if they split, the topping will disguise all. Continue dipping and filling the tortillas until you have used either all of the tortillas or all of the filling. This recipe usually makes about 12 tortillas, but may vary depending on how much goes into each one. Pour any remaining enchilada sauce over the prepared enchiladas. Top with the 1/4 cup of cheese, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olives. Cover the enchiladas with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling, about 20 more minutes.

Makes 10 to 12 enchiladas

Stealthy Cooking Tip: These enchiladas have significantly less cheese than the original recipe called for. However, it's still a good idea to only each eat cheese on an occasional basis. Healthy up this meal by serving only one enchilada per serving, and adding a large salad and a side vegetable to fill your plate!