Chicken Enchiladas and other Second Acts
TABLE Magazine contributor Rhonda Schuldt offers up four fantastic ways to use leftovers from her classic Roasted Chicken recipe. Each one is a classic in and of itself!
Gluten Free Chicken Enchiladas Verde
This recipe can be made with leftover roasted chicken and homemade Salsa Verde (recipe below), but this super easy version uses either canned green enchilada sauce or jarred Salsa Verde. Ingredients are layered between tortillas, so there is no pesky rolling individual enchiladas!
· 1 large can green enchilada sauce*
· 12 6-inch corn tortillas**
· 4-6 cups shredded chicken***
· ½ yellow or red onion, chopped
· 1 can black beans, drained
· 1 cup roasted corn (canned or frozen corn work equally well)
· shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese (3-4 cups)
Heat oven to 375°. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the dish. Lay six corn tortillas on the bottom, overlapping the tortillas to cover the bottom of the pan. Top with the shredded chicken, onion, beans, and corn. Add 1-2 cups of the cheese depending the how cheesy you want the enchiladas. Pour 1/3 of the enchilada sauce over the filling ingredients. Top with the remaining six tortillas, overlapping, to cover the filling. Top with remaining enchilada sauce; spread the sauce evenly over the tops of the tortillas. Top with additional cheese…adding as much cheese as you wish.
Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and heated through.
Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with sour cream, scallions, your favorite hot sauce, and/or cilantro if desired.
Notes:
*If you can’t find gluten-free green enchilada sauce, I’ve used green salsa, which is usually gluten free.
** Flour tortillas make a delicious non-gluten free version, as well.
***Perfect with leftover roast chicken….or from store-bought rotisserie birds. You can also cook 2-3 large chicken breasts or 4-5 chicken thighs and shred.
Recipe works equally well with red enchilada sauce if that’s preferred!
Roasted Tomatillo & Sweet Onion Salsa Verde
1 ½ pounds fresh tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed*
2 medium sweet onions
2 poblano peppers (substitute jalapeno or Serrano peppers for more heat)
4 cloves garlic, peeled
juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Pre-heat grill to medium high.
Leaving root end intact, peel onions and halve from root to tip.
Place whole tomatillos, onions and peppers on oiled grill grate. Cook, turning occasionally, until all are slightly charred. Remove from grill. Seed and stem the peppers.
Place charred vegetables in a blender or food processor along with garlic, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Pulse until blended. Stir in cilantro.
Serve simply with chips, as a condiment, or as a delicious base for chicken enchiladas. Stir into two chopped avocados for a guacamole to remember!
2. Chicken and Vegetable Soup
A quick and easy chicken and vegetable soup recipe made with leftover Roasted Chicken.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a stock pot. Add 1 diced carrot, 1 diced rib of celery, ½ cup diced onion, 1 clove chopped garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
Add 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted, if you can find them), 1 quart chicken stock*, 2 cups shredded leftover (or rotisserie) chicken. Season with salt, pepper to taste. Let simmer until heated through.
It’s easy to make your own chicken stock (recipe link) from the leftover carcass of your roasted (or rotisserie) chicken!
3. Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Sauce: In a saucepan, add equal parts butter and your favorite hot wing sauce, such as Franks®, adding a little more hot sauce if desired to up the heat. Season with garlic powder and black pepper to taste. Make plenty of this sauce…it keeps in the well in the fridge!
Per Slider: Toss 2 tablespoons of sauce with ½ cup of warmed leftover shredded roast chicken. Place on a slider bun and garnish with blue cheese dressing and top with finely diced celery if desired.
4. Chicken Salad Sandwiches
The options here are endless! Serve on tomato slices, salad greens, toasted bread, crackers, or enjoy each of these ideas on its own.
Classic version: Stir together shredded chicken, diced celery, chopped hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise (or plain Greek yogurt), a little mustard of your choice. Season with salt and pepper.
Curried version: Mix together Greek yogurt, curry powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in shredded chicken, finely diced cucumber, chopped green apple.
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