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Chicken Skillet Enchiladas

chicken enchiladas on white plate
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5 from 5 reviews

Chicken and black bean enchiladas are made on the stove top and are ready in only thirty minutes!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound (454 g) chicken tenders (see note 1)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (see note 3)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 15 corn tortillas (5 1/2 inch diameter)
  • 8 ounces (227 g) shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
  • one 15.5 ounce (439 g) can black beans
  • one 28 ounce can enchilada sauce (red or green)
  • optional toppings: chopped cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, sliced jalapenos

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a 12 inch deep skillet (that has a tight-fitting lid) on medium high heat.
  2. Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, kosher salt and pepper on the chicken and use your fingers to massage it into the chicken so the tenders are evenly coated in the seasoning.
  3. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook for 3 minutes. While the chicken is cooking on the first side, prep your beans: open the can, drain and rinse them. Shake off most of the moisture and add them to a medium bowl. 
  4. Flip the chicken and continue cooking on the second side for an additional 3 - 4 minutes, or until cooked through. If the spices are starting to get too dark while cooking, turn the heat down.
  5. While the chicken is cooking on the second side, prep your tortillas: take 8 tortillas, wrap them in a very damp paper or kitchen towel, and place on a plate. Set aside. Open the can of enchilada sauce and set it aside. Add most of the cheese to the bowl with the beans, reserving about 1 1/2 cup of cheese for later.
  6. When the chicken is done cooking, remove the pieces from the pan onto a cutting board. Turn the heat off the stove and remove the skillet from the hot burner.
  7. Put the plate of wrapped tortillas in the microwave, and heat on high for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, use tongs to hold the hot chicken and cut into small pieces. Add chicken pieces to the bowl of cheese and beans, stir to combine.
  8. Pour about 1 1/2 cups of enchilada sauce into the same skillet used for the chicken. The bottom should be completely covered in sauce.
  9. Remove tortillas from the microwave. Add about 1/2 cup of filling to the middle of one tortilla, roll it up and place it seam side down in the pan. (And be careful when placing in the pan, the pan/enchilada sauce may be hot!)
  10. Continue rolling the enchiladas and placing them in the pan, making a wreath shape. Keep the tortillas wrapped in the damp towel while you are working. You will need to gently "smoosh" the tortillas already in the pan to make them fit snugly.
  11. When you run out of your first batch of warm tortillas, microwave the second batch in the same manner and keep rolling and adding enchiladas to the pan.
  12. When all of the enchiladas are in the pan, pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Spoon the enchilada sauce over any dry spots. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top.
  13. Put the lid on the pan and heat over medium heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 9 - 10 minutes.
  14. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings (optional).

Notes

1. To substitute chicken breast:

If you don't have chicken tenders, you can substitute chicken breasts. To substitute chicken breast, butterfly the chicken breasts to create two thinner pieces, and then cut each thinner piece in half again, to create 4 smaller pieces. If you are using chicken breasts instead of tenders, the cooking time may be slightly longer depending on the size of your chicken pieces.

2. To substitute leftover or rotisserie chicken:

You can also substitute leftover or rotisserie chicken. Shred or chop the pre-cooked chicken, then add it to the hot oiled pan as directed in the recipe. But, rather than coating the chicken pieces in the seasoning first, just sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken in the pan and stir to combine.

Heat the chicken for only 1 - 2 minutes, just to warm it up and develop the spices.

If the leftover chicken you are using is already well-seasoned, don't add the salt as called for in the recipe, but taste the chicken after it's been heated up and add more only if needed.

3. Other tips:

Kosher salt is coarse grained; if you want to substitute fine grain salt, reduce the amount from 1 teaspoon to ¾ teaspoon (or, add salt to taste). 

While heating the enchiladas up and waiting for the cheese to melt, resist the urge to keep opening the lid! This will let the steam escape and it will take longer for the cheese to melt.

The nutrition information below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full nutrition disclosure policy.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/30-minute-stovetop-chicken-enchiladas/