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prune enchiladas in a pan

Secret Sauce Chicken Enchiladas (Gluten Free)

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  • Author: Teri Turner
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

These chicken enchiladas are next level delicious. They take some time to make but they are totally worth it.


Ingredients

For the Enchiladas:

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, divided

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

½ cup light olive oil

1 package (12, 5-inch) corn tortillas

 

For the Sauce:

1 cup California red wine

1 cup finely chopped California prunes

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons coconut sugar

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/8 piece of white onion

3 cups (one 28-ounce can) crushed tomatoes

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons chipotle adobo

3 teaspoons Kosher salt

2 cups favorite shredded cheese blend, we used Queso Chihuahua but works perfectly fine with shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese

Sour cream, chopped cilantro, and chopped onions, to garnish


Instructions

Pre heat oven to 375°F.  Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet.

 

Put the chicken breasts on the baking sheet. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil per chicken breast, coating completely on both sides. Season each breast with ¾ teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Cook in the oven for about 35 minutes, then remove and, using a brush, baste the chicken breasts with their juices. Return to the oven and cook until browned, 5 more minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

 

Lower oven heat to 350°F.

 

Once the chicken breasts are cooled, use your hands to shred the chicken into small pieces. Set aside in a bowl.

 

In a medium sauce pan, add the red wine, chopped prunes, balsamic vinegar, coconut sugar, and pinch of kosher salt. Stir to combine. Turn on heat to medium high and bring the sauce to a boil. Once boiling, reduce temperature to low let it cook for about 30 minutes, or until sauce has reduced its liquid completely. Carefully pour the hot sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. The sauce is now a jam consistency. Set aside.

 

Note: You will need 7 tablespoons (just about ½ cup) of this delicious Magic Elixir, the rest you can save in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy over a piece of toast or add chocolate chips for a magical ice cream fudge sauce. (link)

 

In a large sauce pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add the chunk of onion. Let the onion cook and brown for about 7 minutes. (This will flavor the oil with onion,) Once the onion is brown, use tongs to remove it.

 

Add the crushed tomatoes, water, 7 tablespoons of the prune jam, 2 tablespoons of chipotle adobo and 3 teaspoons of salt. Stir to combine. Reduce the temperature to medium and allow the sauce to simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Add ¼ cup of the sauce into the bowl with the chicken and stir to coat completely. Set aside.

 

In a large pan, heat up ½ cup of the light olive oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking hot, lower heat to medium. Carefully, add one corn tortilla into the oil. Use tongs to help completely submerge the tortilla in the oil. You want this to heat and soften your tortilla but not make it crispy, about 10 seconds per tortilla. Remove and set aside on a towel-lined plate.

 

Once all the tortillas are lightly cooked in the oil, it is now time to start making your enchiladas.

 

In a large (9×13-inch) baking dish spread ½ cup of the sauce mixture.  Take one of your tortillas and put 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture across the bottom third of the tortilla and roll it up. Put it on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Repeat this for the rest on the tortillas. Once finished, pour 1 cup of the sauce (or what remains) over the enchiladas to coat completely. Sprinkle 2 cups of the shredded cheese all over the enchiladas, to cover completely.

 

Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling. Remove from the oven and enjoy! Serve with sour cream, chopped cilantro, chopped onions and extra smoky sauce for dipping!