Tortillas (makes about 16)
2 cups masa harina (corn flour, maseca)
1 1/3 cups hot water
1/4 tsp salt
Filling and Sauce
1 med red onion, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
1 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp sugar
5 canned green chilies, seeded and chopped
4 canned chipotle chilies, seeded and chopped
16 oz tomato sauce
1 cup water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (stems removed), chopped finely
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
Tortillas
Combine masa, salt, water in large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and consistent, should feel almost identical to Play Doh.
Shape dough into large ball, place in bowl and cover with damp towel. Let rest 30-60 min.
Divide dough into 16 equal pieces and roll into balls.
Preheat cast iron skillet or griddle to med-high heat.
Cut a large ziploc bag down the sides, dust inside with masa and use as lining on a tortilla press.
Don't use plastic wrap, it sticks like crazy and you'll regret it.
Using a tortilla press, press each dough ball and immediately put pressed tortilla on heated skillet/griddle. Cook for 60 seconds, flip, cook for another 30-60 seconds and remove to a plate.
If you don't have a tortilla press, place the dough ball in the bag and use your body weight to press the tortilla between the counter and a solid cutting board.
Get in a good rhythm and you can pump these out fast. Press 1, place 1, press 2, place 2, flip 2, press 3, place 3, flip 2, remove 1, etc.
Filling and Sauce
Add red onion, jalapeño, salt, and canola oil to a large pot. Cook covered on med-low for 8-10 min.
Add garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, sugar, green chilies, chipotle chilies, and stir. Cook uncovered for 60 seconds.
Stir in tomato sauce and water. Add chicken breast. Cook covered on low for 40 min (or until chicken is cooked thoroughly).
Remove chicken to cutting board, continue to cook sauce covered on low. Preheat oven to 400°.
Using 2 forks, loosely shred the chicken.
Run the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, pushing as much liquid through as possible, reserving both the sauce and the solids (onions, garlic, chilies) separately.
In a large bowl, combine the reserved solids from the sauce, the shredded chicken, 1/4 cup sauce, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack, cilantro.
Place a modest amount of the chicken mixture in a tortilla, roll the filled tortilla, and place seam side down in a greased 9"x13" baking dish.
You're shooting for 12 enchiladas, but just keep rolling until your chicken mixture is gone and the baking dish is full.
Pour the remaining sauce over the rolled enchiladas in the baking dish and top with the remaining cheeses, distributing both equally across the dish.
Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes and dig in!
It usually takes about 3 hours from start to finish including tortillas if you can really handle multitasking in the kitchen. Definitely get the dough started and resting before you tackle anything else. Timing is key in this recipe and once you start you need to be committed.
