Chicken Enchiladas

Serves 4-6 (depending on appetite)

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 1/2 large onion, diced

• 3 cups boneless, skinless chicken breast, shredded

• 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans (or other beans of your choice), rinsed and drained

• 8 large flour & corn tortillas (plain flour are easier to roll but don’t taste as good)

• 3-4 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese (much easier to just buy the pre-shredded bag) enchilada sauce

chopped cilantro, diced avocado and sour cream

Enchilada Sauce:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 2 tbsp. flour

• 1/4 cup chili powder

• 1⁄2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

• pinch cinnamon

• 2 cups vegetable stock

• 1⁄2 tsp. sea salt or to taste

Make a roux. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and then whisk in flour. Continue whisking for one minute and then add spices. Whisk for another two minutes and then stir in vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, whisking constantly to incorporate spices and then turn down heat to simmer for five minutes or until desired thickness is achieved. If you want to make your sauce a little redder in colour, add a tablespoon of tomato paste.

Make the filling: In a frying pan, add olive oil and sauté the onion until tender. Stir in the chicken, green chiles and beans and season with salt and pepper to taste.

ASSEMBLY:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Use a little oil olive to grease a casserole dish that will fit eight rolled enchiladas. With a spoon spread two tablespoons of enchilada sauce on each tortilla. Then spoon two heaping tablespoons of the chicken/bean mixture in a row down the middle of the tortilla. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and then roll it up (tuck in ends to fit the casserole dish if necessary). Continue rolling all the tortillas and nestling them in a row to fill the dish.

Spread the remaining enchilada sauce on top and cover with cheese (feel free to load up on the cheese).

Bake in oven until cheese is melted and tortillas are slightly browned. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with sour cream. Enjoy!

What pairs best with Mexican food? Beer! We can get the classic Mexican favourite beers here like Corona but why not go local? There are some delicious and fun summery beers that would pair wonderfully well with Mexican food.

In North Vancouver there is a brewery called La Cerveceria Astillero that my niece Hillary recommends. La Cerveceria Astilleros, or “The Shipyards Brewery” is a Mexican restaurant and brewery – can’t wait to visit it. See their website: cerveceria-astilleros.com/pages/contact-us

Beer Pairing: Salted Lime Lager

A classic Mexican Cerveza brewed with imported Spanish salt and conditioned on fresh Mexican limes.