Cortez Chicken Enchiladas

 1/2 c onion, chopped

1/2 c green (or other color) pepper, chopped

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles

1/2 c chicken broth

2 c. canned green chili enchilada sauce, divided

1/2 T. chili powder

1 tsp. pepper, optional

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded OR 15 oz canned chunk chicken in water, drained

12 corn tortillas

Cooking spray

1 c. part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine onion, peppers, green chiles, chicken broth and 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce in a large, nonstick skillet; cook for 5 miutes. Add chili powder, pepper, garlic and chicken. Mix well, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Meanwhile, heat corn tortillas (if doing rolled method) by wrapping them in paper towels and microwaving at HIGH for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. 

For layered method: Pour some enchilada sauce in the pan, layer 1/3 of tortillas, 1/2 of mixture, some sauce. then 1/3 of tortillas other 1/2 of mixture, 1/3 of tortillas and pour sauce over the top.

For rolled method: Spread 1/3 cup of chicken mixture lengthwise on each tortilla. Roll tortilla and place, seam side down, in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray' pour remaining enchilada saue over and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 min or until thoroughly heated.

Makes 12 enchiladas/6 servings. 384 Calories 13.6 g fat.

From the Simply Colorado Cookbook.

The classic family story from the first time I made this in May of 1995 the Sunday after I had finished putting on the Nevada State Dietetic Association state meetings, 8 months pregnant with Alayna and had been too busy to make a decent family dinner very often lately, so I wanted to make something for dinner. I don't think I had ever made enchiladas before.  It was Sunday, so had to make it with things on hand. We had everything--ISH. I had some cans of jalapeno peppers that I naively didn't know were any different from cans of green chilis.  I only had 1 can green chili enchilada sauce . . . no worries . . . I purred up another can of two of jalapeno peppers (I got them cheap). As we ate it Kim commented on how hot it was. After a bit he said that perhaps it was jalapeno peppers instead of chili peppers . . . that was the first I realized there was a difference. We still ate it (honestly not sure little Aria ate much of it) with LOTS of sour cream. It burned both coming and going!

I usually use 1 large 28 oz can of enchilada sauce.