Chicken Enchiladas: Crockpot or Oven

I have been craving chicken enchiladas lately, but since my toaster oven is very unreliable, I had no way to bake them. Instead, I figured out how to make them in the crockpot!

I'm going to give you the base recipe and then directions to modify it for either crockpot or oven cooking. Keep in mind, the crockpot version gets kinda messy - I wouldn't serve it to company - but the flavors are oh so good!

The crockpot version is a little messy but so tasty!

Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup red or green salsa
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 jar queso blanco sauce, divided
1/2 package taco seasoning
1/2 package dry ranch mix
1 cup cheddar or monterrey jack cheese
1 pound cooked shredded chicken
Flour tortillas (3 for crockpot version, 8 for oven version)

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, soup, and 1/2 cup queso sauce together. Add seasonings and cheese and mix, then add chicken and mix thoroughly.

Crockpot:
Tear 3 tortillas into strips. Smooth a few spoonfuls of queso sauce on the bottom of the crockpot and lay one tortilla worth of strips on that. Pour half of the filling mixture on top, place more tortilla strips above it, and repeat with the other half. Pour the rest of the queso sauce on top and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Cook on low for about 2 hours and serve.

Oven:
Preheat oven to 375. Mist a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and smooth a few spoonfuls of queso sauce on the bottom. Evenly divide the filling mixture between 6-8 tortillas, then roll into firm cylinders. Lay each tortilla roll in the dish with the seams down. Pour the rest of the queso sauce on top and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake about 30 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken Chili

After being out in snow and subzero temperatures this weekend, I came down with an unpleasant cold (is there any other kind?). Between the frigid weather and my sore throat, something warm and soft was definitely in order - and chicken chili hit the spot.

The nice thing about this recipe is its flexibility. Most of the ingredients are nonperishable, which means I can keep them on hand until I'm ready for them. It can also be made mild or spicy depending on your choice of ingredients. We use plain diced tomatoes, but using a can that contains chilies will add a zip to your chili.

 It can be made with raw or precooked chicken; simply adjust the cooking time appropriately. For raw chicken, plan to leave your crockpot on for 4-6 hours on high, or 7+ hours on low. For precooked chicken, however, an hour or two is plenty.

Also, if you're one of those people who is picky about leftovers, let me assure you that this chili is absolutely just as good the next day, or even better! The longer it sits, the more the flavors mingle and marry, resulting in leftovers that surpass the original concoction.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, raw or cooked
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can each: black beans, northern beans, and corn
1 8oz package of cream cheese
Dry taco seasoning
Dry ranch dressing mix
Optional: shredded cheddar cheese

Place the chicken in the crockpot and dump the can of tomatoes on top. Drain the excess fluid out of the beans and corn, then add to the crockpot. If using precooked chicken, add the cream cheese; if using raw chicken, wait till later. Add about half a package each of the taco seasoning and ranch mix. Stir everything together. For raw chicken, cook as directed above, and add cream cheese to the last hour of cooking. For precooked chicken, let all ingredients simmer about an hour. When ready to serve, stir thoroughly and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese on top. Enjoy!