Chicken Black Bean Enchiladas w/ Tomatilla Salsa

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Adapted from Branny Boils Over

I love any type of Mexican-inspired dish, and this one didn't disappoint.  Especially when it was paired with my homemade Spicy Tomatillo Salsa. :)

I actually made the filling for these on Sunday, for Tuesday's dinner.  All I had to do on Tuesday was fill the tortillas, cover with salsa and cheese, and bake.  I decided not to even warm up the chicken mixture beforehand.  It heated through nicely in the 30 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 T olive oil
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t cumin
2 t lemon juice
2 t dried oregano
4-5 8" flour tortillas
4-6 ou Queso Fresco cheese, crumbled
1 c Tomatillo Salsa (or make a simple Tomatilla Sauce)

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and bell pepper for about 4-5 minutes until tender.  Mix in the chicken and cook until no longer pink in the middle.  Stir in the beans, chili powder, salt, cumin, lemon juice and oregano and cook about 1-2 minutes, until heated through.

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a baking dish.

Place about 1/3 c of salsa in a rimmed dish.  Dip the tortillas into the salsa, coating both sides.  Place the chicken mixture into the tortilla with some cheese and roll.  Place it seam side down in the baking dish.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Pour the remaining salsa over the tortillas and then sprinkle with cheese.  Bake, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Southwestern Egg & Black Bean Skillet

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Recipe from Cara's Cravings

This recipe is something that is slightly outside of our comfort zone.  Typically when I do a meatless meal it usually is in the form of a pasta dish.  I was a little nervous about the taste.  I never make any dishes where beans are the main ingredient.  And I was also worried about it being filling enough, especially for J.

I was wrong on both counts!  It had just a little bit of spice to it and really great southwestern flavors.  And I was stuffed.  I actually had to leave a few bites because I just couldn't fit anymore.  This will for sure go on our meatless rotation.  It only took about 25 minutes to make and, since it was a one-pot meal, easy clean-up!

I served this with thick-sliced bread that I spread with butter (that I had mixed with garlic and cilantro) and then sprinkled with queso fresco cheese.  Then I placed it under the broiler in the toaster oven for a few minutes to warm it up. :)

Ingredients:
1 t olive oil
1/2 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 c frozen corn
1 can drained, rinsed black beans
Salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t chili powder
Pinch coriander
10 ou can diced tomatos w/ green chilis
2 large eggs
2 ou queso fresco
Avocado and cilantro, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In an oven safe skillet (I used my cast iron) heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes, until tender and translucent.  Add the garlic, beans and corn for about 2 minutes, until garlic is fragrant, then mix in the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and coriander.

Add the diced tomatos, turn heat up to high, and bring to a boil.  Cover, lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Remove cover and carefully break the eggs over the black bean mixture. Place in oven for about 7-10 minutes, until eggs are soft-set.

Sprinkle with queso fresco, cilantro and serve with avocado slices.  Serve hot.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos w/ Homemade Salsa

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Chicken recipe from For the Love of Cooking

On a cooking board that I frequent, the cooking challenge this week is to make something with tomatos. I love salsa! I've never tried to make my own, so I decided this would be the perfect time to try it out.

This chicken sounded really good, so I decided to make some tacos to go with the salsa.

The salsa was good, very fresh tasting. The green onions, tomatos and jalepeno were all straight from our garden. I could've used a bit more spice, however. I had bought canned chilies to put in here too, but all my other ingredients were so fresh, I didn't want to use them.

Salsa
Ingredients:
3 Roma tomatos
3 vine-ripened tomatos
1/2 jalepeno
2-3 T cilantro
2 medium green onions
Juice of 1/2 lime
Pepper to taste

Directions:
You can use a food processor or, if you like your salsa to be chunky, just chop all ingredients and mix together.

I was feeling lazy, so I went with a food processor.

First place the cilantro, jalapeno and onions (cut into smaller pieces) into the food processor and pulse a few times to chop.

Quarter the tomatos and process until salsa is at desired consistency. Add the lime juice and pepper to taste. Pulse once or twice to mix.

Place in a sealed container in the refrigerator for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend.

Chicken Tacos
Ingredients:
Juice and zest of 2 small limes
3 T olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper, to taste
3 T fresh cilantro, chopped
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat

Other ingredients: taco shells, sour cream, guacamole, cheese

Directions:
Mix ingredients from limes through cilantro in a zip lock bag. Add the chicken and be sure it is fully coated. Place bag in refrigerator and allow chicken to marinate 2-4 hours.

Grill or saute chicken breasts until fully cooked. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes and then shred.

Fill your taco shell with the chicken, salsa and other toppings. Enjoy!

Portobello and Black Bean Quesadillas

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Recipe from Cooking Light, 5 Ingredient / 15 Minute Cookbook (special edition)

I can't find this recipe online anywhere, so I'm going to post it in it's entirety below. J and I really liked these. I love Portobello mushrooms, and these quesadillas were full of flavor.

They only took me about 15 minutes to make, and they are only about 251 calories per quesadilla! I love it! :)

I made 2 minor changes from the original recipe. It called for diced pimientos and I couldn't find any, so I grabbed some diced green chilies - which seemed to fit in well with the recipe. Also - instead of Mexican blend cheese, I used Monterrey Jack.

Ingredients:
4 8-inch flour tortillas
Olive oil
2 Portobello caps, chopped
2 T balsamic vinaigrette
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced green chilies, drained
1 c Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1/4 c thinly sliced green onion
Salsa, for serving

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat just enough olive oil to very light coat the bottom of the skillet, over medium heat.

Place the tortillas on a dish and microwave for about 50 seconds, to soften.

Add the mushrooms to the skillet and saute for about 2 minutes. Mix in the balsamic vinaigrette, black beans and green chilies. Cook for about 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

I used a cast iron skillet to cook the quesadillas, though you could use a regular skillet, or quesadilla maker if you have one. Preheat your skillet over medium heat.

Place 1/4 of the mushroom mixture on 1/2 of a tortilla. Top with 1 T green onion and 1/4 c shredded cheese. Fold over. Place the quesadilla on the skillet and cook until golden brown, then flip (about 1 - 1 1/2 minutes). Cook until the other side is golden brown, and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Note: I also like to use a bacon press to flatten the quesadilla as it cooks.

Serve with salsa.

Santa Fe Chimichanga

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Inspired by eatbetteramerica.com

Sorry - it's not a very pretty picture, I know. :/ And, in case you're wondering, that is sour cream on top. :)

This is a great, extremely easy and healthy recipe for a weeknight meal. It's meatless, so it's also cheap! I love a cheap and easy meal - especially when it tastes good! :)

The original recipe used bisquick mix, and involved rolling out dough and baking for about a half hour. No thanks! I grabbed some burrito sized flour tortillas, and baked these in the toaster oven for about 10 minutes. Much better!

J and I each ate 1 and a half of these for dinner.

Ingredients:
3 burrito sized flour tortillas
Can black beans, rinsed
1/2 c salsa
2 green onions, chopped
1/4-1/2 c Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Sour cream for serving

Directions:
Microwave the tortillas for about 10 seconds to soften.

In a medium saucepan saute the onions in a very little bit of a olive for about 2-3 minutes. Add the beans and salsa and cook over medium heat until heated through.

Place 1/3 of the bean mixture onto a tortilla, cover with shredded cheese and wrap as you would a burrito. Continue with all 3 tortillas.

Preheat the toaster oven on about 400 degrees.

Place the chimichangas on a broiler pan, or cover the toaster rack with aluminum foil, and cook for about 10 minutes, until they are lightly browned and crispy.

Serve with some sour cream and maybe some guacamole.

Tex-Mex Calzones

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Adapted from Cooking Light

I love recipes that take a dish typically associated with one ethnicity, and transform it into another. Like this one. :)

This was really delicious - I left the peppers out and added in some black beans. I also brushed the dough with an egg wash to make it a nice crispy golden brown.

Oh - and I made this into 2 larger calzones, instead of 4 small ones.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 t ground cumin
1/2 t chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c salsa
1/2 c black beans, rinsed
3/4-1 c Mexican or cheddar cheese, shredded
1 11-ou can refrigerated pizza dough
1 egg beaten w/ 1 T olive oil
Sour cream for serving

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.

Cook the turkey in a skillet for about 3 minutes (breaking it up as it cooks.)

Add the garlic, onion, cumin and chili powder to the skillet and cook until onion is tender.

Remove skillet from heat and mix in the salsa and black beans.

Unroll the dough and cut into 2 pieces and roll out. Top one end of each piece with 1/2 of the turkey mixture and some shredded cheese.

Fold the dough over and press it with a fork to seal (I forgot to do this, so mine didn't look quite so nice.)

Place the calzones on a baking sheet (sprayed with cooking spray) or pizza stone (sprinkled with corn meal).

Brush the tops of the calzones with the egg/olive oil mixture.

Place in the oven for about 12-14 minutes, or until browned. Serve with the sour cream.

Turkey Chimichangas

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Recipe from Simple but Delicious

As you know, and can hopefully tell from recent posts, I am really trying to eat healthier. Which is why I was so excited to come across this healthy chimichanga recipe - just in time for Cinco de Mayo! :)

I did add a thin layer of refried beans, because J really likes them. But, honestly, I really couldn't even tell they were there. (Guess it really was a thin layer :p )

These were really easy to make. They took about 30 minutes to put together and cook. I do think they could use a bit more spice, however. Maybe a bit more chili powder, or use hot salsa instead of medium - and I'm not someone who likes really spicy food.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1 small red onion, diced
1 green pepper, chopped (I didn't use this, I hate green pepper)
1 t chili powder
1 can diced chilies, drained
8 ou salsa (more for dipping)
1 c cheddar or taco cheese (I used cheddar)
Low or non-fat sour cream
Refried beans, if desired
6 burrito sized tortillas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place in oven for 10 minutes. Prep a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the turkey, onion, and green pepper until turkey is cooked through and onion and pepper are tender.

Once turkey is cooked through, mix in the chili powder, chilies and salsa and heat through - about 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and mix in the cheese until just melted.

Remove tortillas from oven and spread with refried beans, if using. Then divide turkey mixture evenly between the tortillas - place the mixture in the center.

Fold one side over, then fold in the ends, and then roll up the rest of the way, like a burrito. Place in baking dish and cook for 20 minutes.

If desired, place under broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

And, of course, don't forget the margarita! (Pomegranate in this case. In the lovely hand painted glass that I got on our honeymoon on Mexico.) :) Cheers!

Mexican Stuffed Shells

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Recipe from Tastes, Tales and Tours

These were so amazing! I really wasn't sure if I would like them or not when I started making them. But they were great, and J definitely raved about them!

I paired them up with a small simple side salad. I felt like the really needed something light to balance them out.

I loved her idea of adding in the black beans. I actually doubled her recipe because I wanted us to have leftovers for our lunches.

Ingredients:
About 20-25 Jumbo Shells (I think I used 22 in all)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
4 ou cream cheese
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c salsa
1 c taco sauce, red
About 1 c shredded cheese, I may have used a bit more (I used sharp cheddar and Colby & Monterrey jack)

Directions:
Cook your shells according to package directions until just al dente. When done, spread them out on a cookie sheet to cool, and to prevent sticking to one another.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until no longer pink, and break up into small pieces. Add the taco seasoning by following the directions on the package. (I believe it's 2/3 c water with the seasoning - and cook 3-4 minutes until water is absorbed.)

Add the cream cheese and mix until melted and well blended. Add the black beans and mix in for about a minute or two more.

Remove meat mixture from heat and cool.

Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by coating the bottom with salsa and preheat oven to 350.

Begin to stuff the shells by using about 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of meat mixture per shell. Place them in the dish open side up. Continue until you have used all of the ground beef mixture.

Pour the taco sauce over the shells. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes.

Remove dish from oven and remove foil. Sprinkle on desired amount of cheese and bake for about 15 minutes longer, until cheese is melted and begins to brown.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

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I've seen similar recipes to this floating around everywhere, so I don't really have a specific resource.

This was super easy, and extremely good!

I served it over rice with some guac and sour cream, and cheese sprinkled on top - but it would be great wrapped in a tortilla or used in a taco as well.

Ingredients:
3 large chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 jar salsa
1 can black beans, drained
1 package taco seasoning

Directions:
Put the salsa and black beans into your crockpot. Season the chicken with the taco seasoning and put on top. (I used a 4 qt crockpot and frozen chicken, since I'm gone for at least 9 hours.)

Set the crockpot on low and cook 8-10 hours.

When ready to eat, remove the chicken and shred it, then mix it back into the crockpot.

Ladle over cooked rice to serve, sprinkle with cheese (I used Monterey & Colby Jack), and serve with a bit of guac and sour cream.

Shredded Steak Burritos

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So we had some not so high quality sirloin steads in the freezer, and I'd been trying to figure out what to do with them.

Finally I decided to cook them in the crockpot, shred them, and use them for burritos.

They turned out really well. My only complaint, I really wish I could find those nice, large 12" tortillas that they use in restaurants, that are also really thin and flexible.

I can only find 8", and they aren't quite as thin as I like. J found this tortilla mix that you just add water to, roll the dough and cook on a griddle.
I rolled it as thin as I could, but as soon as I put it on the griddle they started to rise. They tasted good, but not what I was hoping for.
J requested that I make the same thing next week, only with chicken. Any ideas where I can find those tortilla shells that I'm looking for?

Ingredients:
2 large flour tortillas
2-3 (or about 1-1.5 lbs) steak, or meat of choice
1 cup salsa
Package taco seasoning
White rice, cooked according to package instructions
Black beans (or beans of choice), rinsed and heated to simmering

Other optional toppings: Shredded Sharp Cheddar, Guacamole, Sour Cream, Salsa

Directions:
Place your steaks in a small slow-cooker (I used 3 quart). Add about 1 cup salsa and about 1/2 package of taco seasoning. Cook all day on low.
Cook your rice and heat your black beans.

Remove the steaks from the slow-cooker and shred to desired consistency.

Warm your tortilla shells in the microwave to soften them up and make them more flexible for folding.

Take your tortilla shell and layer on your steak, beans, cheese (I put it here so it would melt), rice, guac, sour cream and salsa.

Fold your tortilla over the filling like a burrito - fold one side over, then the other. Then fold the ends over to completely close it.

I then took some aluminum foil and wrapped it around 1/2 of the burritos, in order to keep them together when we ate them.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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I got this recipe from The Kitchen Canister, originally of Tyler Florence from the Food Network.

I used a few of her adaptions and we thought this turned out really great! It took me about an hour from start to finish.

Ingredients:
2 T EVOO
2 medium white onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
3 ripe medium tomatos, chopped
1 quart chicken stock (I used a little more than a quart - maybe 1 1/4)
Salt and pepper to taste
8 corn tortillas, cut into 1/8 thick strips (I only made 2, I thought 8 was way too much)
1 1/2 c shredded cooked chicken
2 avocados, pitted, peeled and diced (unfortunately the avocado we bought turned out to be bad, so this was omitted)
1 c shredded Jack cheese (I had Sharp Cheddar so that's what I used)
1/2 c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:
Place a stockpot over medium heat and add in the EVOO. Add the onions, garlic, jalapeno and tomatos and cook, stirring, for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked down and pulpy.
Next add your chicken stock, add your salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for about 20 minutes. (I also added a little bit of dried cilantro.)

In the meantime - cook and shred your chicken. I cut 2 chicken breasts into strips, cook them in a skillet and then shredded. And prep your avocado, lime and cilantro and set to the side.
Also - per The Kitchen Canister's suggestion, I also cooked about 1 c of Basmati rice - to make the meal a bit more hearty.

Finally - the original recipe calls to fry your tortillas in hot oil in the skillet. I again took the suggestion of The Kitchen Canister and put them on a baking sheet, sprayed with oil, and sprinkled with cumin and cinnamon. I baked them at 400 for about 5-7 minutes, until a very light golden brown.

Once everything is cooked and prepped - spoon about 2 Tablespoons of rice in the bottom of each bowl, and then ladle on the soup. Pile the shredded chicken on top, then the shredded cheese and avocado. Garnish with a sprinkle of cilantro and a wedge of lime. And place your tortilla strips on top.

Eat and enjoy!!

This was a great meal - we each had 2 bowls!

Taco Bake

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I found this recipe on Cooking This and That. It seemed pretty easy and we both love tacos!

As I was cooking this, I kept thinking it looks more like a dip you'd eat with tortilla chips, instead of an actual meal. But it tasted really good - tasted a lot like tacos (shocking, I know)! But I feel like it needed something, to make it more meal like. I'm not really sure what though. Any ideas?

I think maybe I'd like to try this same idea with a different mix for the meat. I'll have to see what I can come up with.

I added cilantro to the sour cream and cream cheese mix, I had it in my fridge and wanted to use it before it went bad.

I also had to cook this in our toaster oven again, because our oven is still broke. So I put it into 2 smaller dishes and only cooked it for about 20 minutes each.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 packet taco seasoning
15-ou can tomato sauce
8 ou medium shell pasta
8 ou package cream cheese, softened
1 c sour cream
8 ou shredded sharp cheddar
2 T chives, chopped (not in original recipe)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Brown the meat in a large skillet, drain. Mix in the taco seasoning and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Then simmer on low for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile cook your pasta according to package directions.

Mix your sour cream, cream cheese and chives in a separate bowl.
Spray a 9x13 baking dish.

Layer your pasta, then the cream cheese mixture (spread evenly as best you can), and then the ground meat mixture. Then sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.
Bake for about 30 minutes, and let cool about 15 minutes before serving.

Spinach Chicken Quesadillas

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I got this recipe from Annie's Eats. I used the basic recipe and changed some things to make it a bit easier on myself.

These turned out really good! My husband absolutely loved them. We'll definitely be making these again :)
Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

3 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Fajita seasoning, to taste (I actually used taco seasoning)

Olive oil

4-6 mushrooms, sliced

1/8 c onions, chopped

1 cup packed fresh spinach

3 flour tortillas

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Salsa (optional)

Directions:

Combine the lime juice, vegetable oil, red pepper flakes and garlic in a plastic bag. Seal and shake well to combine. Add the chicken breast to the bag and allow to marinate about 30 minutes - 1 hour..

Drizzle a skillet with olive oil, then add the onions. Cook for a few minutes, then dump in the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with fajita seasoning (or taco seasoning) to taste. It will take about 15 minutes for the chicken to cook, with the heat on medium low. About 1/2 way into cooking, add your mushrooms. Once the chicken is cooked, add the spinach and saute until it is wilted, about 30 seconds.

Brush a grill pan if you have one (I just used a large skillet) with olive oil and heat on medium/medium-high.

Put your tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds to soften them. Divide your chicken mixture evenly among the tortillas - make sure to place it only on 1/2 of the tortilla. Add a spoonful of salsa to each tortilla if you would like, and then sprinkle them each evenly with cheese.

Fold the tortillas in half and place in the skillet.

Cook until lightly browned, then flip and do the same with the other side.

Serve with salsa, quacamole and/or sour cream as desired.

I served them with spanish rice.

Chicken Enchiladas

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These chicken enchiladas are definitely a staple in our house. I found the recipe on Sparkpeople.com about a year ago. We love it and it's sooooo easy!!

Ingredients:
About 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 8" tortilla shells - we usually use flour
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
About 1/8 c chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
Ground cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste
Refried beans (optional)

Directions:
First thing I do is heat some oil in a pan, and then throw in the onions until they are almost cooked. Then I add in the garlic and chicken. I season it with some pepper and cayenne. Cooked for about 10-15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, heat the tortillas in the microwave for about 20-25 seconds.

In a medium sized bowl, mix the enchilada sauce and cream of mushroom soup. Whisk until all the lumps are out. I usually add in some pepper and cayenne to season it.













Preheat the oven to 375, and grease a 9x13 baking dish.

If you want to use refried beans, spread them on the tortilla, add in a spoonful of chicken, then add the cheese.













Roll it up and set it in the baking dish. Repeat with the next 3 tortillas.













Spread the sauce mixture over the tortillas, then put some more cheese over the sauce. I like a lot of cheese. :)





Cover with aluminum foil and put in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted.





I completely forgot to take a cooked picture, but I'm sure you get the idea. :p

I usually serve these with either rice or some type of steamed veggie, usually broccoli. Unless we are really hungry, we'll only eat of of these each. 1 1/2 if we're really hungry. So we always have leftovers for lunch.

Taco Salad

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This is a tried and true party dish that my friend's love! I never leave with leftovers. This recipe is extremely easy - no cooking involved!

This is my go-to dish whenever I have limited time, or just don't want to think about what to make. It only takes about 15 minutes.

I'll post a picture next time I make it.

You'll need a 9x13 baking dish, or something of similar size.

Ingredients
1 can refried beans

1 cup plain yogurt (can use mayo, but I like the healthier version with yogurt)
1 cup low-fat sour cream
1 package taco seasoning

Veggies (pick and choose, or add your own):
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomato
Chopped chives
Chopped onion
Sliced olives (I use black)

Shredded cheese (I usually use Sharp Cheddar)

And, of course, tortilla chips.

How to make it:
Spread the refried beans over the bottom of the baking dish.

Mix together the yogurt, sour cream, and taco seasoning in a bowl until smooth. Spread over the refried beans.

Sprinkle the veggies over top, whatever amount looks good to you. Then sprinkle the cheese overtop.

That's it! Keep it refrigerated until you're ready to eat.