enchiladas

trust me, take the time to make the sauce.

sauce:

• 3 tbs olive oil

• 3 tbs flour

• 1 tbs chili powder

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp each oregano, salt, cayenne pepper

• pinch of cinnamon

• 2 tbs tomato paste

• 2 cups vegetable broth

• 1 tsp apple cider or distilled white vinegar

• black pepper to taste

enchiladas:

• 2 tbs cooking oil

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1 1/2 lbs diced chicken breasts

• 1 4-oz can diced green chiles

• 1 15-oz can black beans or corn (or both if making vegetarian)

• salt and pepper to taste

• 8 large flour tortillas

• 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese

• optional toppings: cilantro, red onion, avocado, sour cream

For the sauce, measure out all of the dry ingredients to start. In a medium-size pot, heat the oil until it sizzles slightly. When ready, add in the dry ingredients and whisk constantly for about 1 minute. Whisk in the tomato paste and then slowly pour in the broth. Raise heat to medium-high and simmer. Reduce heat. Cook, whisking often, for 5-7 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat. Add vinegar and black pepper to taste.

For the enchiladas, preheat the oven to 350°. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high. Saute the onions for 3 minutes. Add green chiles and chicken/corn/beans until everything is hot and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble the enchiladas, lay out a tortilla and add 2 tbs of sauce, a generous spoonful of filling, and top with cheese. Place in a greased baking dish, seam-side down. When assembled, cover with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

lemon artichoke chicken and rice

artichokes are one of those things that you either love or hate. weird, but I love them. serves 4.

• 1/2 lemon

• 1 pound chicken breast, cubed

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 12 ounces artichoke hearts (jar or can), drained and quartered if they aren’t already

• 1 cup white rice

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 oz. feta cheese crumbles

Add olive oil to a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and sauté for two minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, red pepper, and sauté for an additional minute. The chicken will not be cooked through and that’s ok.

Add the artichokes, rice, broth, water, and lemon juice to the skillet. Stir to combine and then cover. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from heat and let it rest for an additional 5 minutes.

Stir and garnish with feta cheese.

spicy peanut sauce

not actually spicy. serves 4 with white rice or noodles.

• 1 block firm tofu, drained/pressed/sliced into 1/2” cubes OR 2 chicken breasts, diced

• 2 tbs vegetable oil

• 2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp ketchup

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

• pinch of sugar

• pinch of powdered ginger

• 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

• 1 head broccoli, chopped small

• sriracha or red pepper flakes to taste

In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil. Saute the shallot/onion until just softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

Whisk in soy sauce, ketchup, sugar, ginger, and sriracha/red pepper. Once smooth, add the peanut butter and broth. Add the tofu/chicken and broccoli, and bring to a boil. Cook on medium until the sauce has reduced and thickened (and the chicken is cooked all the way through if using.)

Serve over white rice or noodles.

pineapple chicken

I don’t usually like pineapple but this was good - very light. serves 2 generously.

• 2 chicken breasts, diced into 1” pieces

• 1 tsp onion powder

• black pepper to taste

• 3 tbs cornstarch

• 3 tbs olive oil

• 16 ounces canned pineapple (drain, but reserve 3/4 cup of juice for the sauce)

• 1 bell pepper cut into bite-size pieces

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 1/2 cup cooked rice for serving

Sauce:

• 3/4 cup reserved pineapple juice

• 3 tbs honey

• 2 tbs soy sauce

• 1/2 tsp ginger

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbs cornstarch

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Add chicken, cornstarch, pepper, and onion powder to a bowl, and toss until coated. Add 2 tbs olive oil to a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken; it may take two batches with another tbs of olive oil.

After all chicken is cooked, add the pineapple to the hot pan. Let it cook for a few minutes without stirring; cooking it on one side prevents it from falling apart later. Add the pepper and onions, and stir until the vegetables are cooked to taste - 3-5 minutes depending on your preferred tenderness. I like my veggies a little on the mushy side but apparently that’s weird.

Add the chicken back to the pan and add the sauce. Let it bubble until the sauce has thickened. Serve over rice.

honey butter lemon chicken

the name says it all. serves 2 generously.

• 2 large chicken breasts, butterflied

• salt, pepper, and onion powder to taste

• 1/4 cup flour

• 1 tbs olive oil

• 2 tbs butter, divided

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth

• juice of half a lemon

• 2 tbs honey

Sprinkle your chicken with salt, pepper, and onion powder to taste, then dredge in flour.

Add the oil and 1 tbs butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side. When you flip it over, add the garlic.

Once cooked through, remove the chicken to a plate. In the same pan, add the broth, lemon juice, honey, and 1 tbs butter. Deglaze the pan (scrape all the brown bits up from the bottom.)

Once combined, add the chicken back in and cook until heated through and the sauce has reduced. Scoop extra sauce on top of the chicken when serving.