New Year, New Recipes: Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Casserole

I know, I know...it's been awhile since I have posted.  I have been cooking up a storm, but life has had me very busy.  Hopefully this year, I can post at least once a month.  So, yesterday I spent the entire day watching the show Worst Cooks in America.  Although, I don't consider myself a bad cook, I learned so much from that show.  For example, I learned that Mise en Place means to prepare all your tools and ingredients before you start cooking.  I also learned that I have been holding my knives wrong for a very long time.  As I was preparing my meal today, I concentrated on my knife holding technique :).  The show also gave me some really good recipe ideas such as a chicken lo  mein, which I will try on Tuesday.  If you haven't seen the show, you should check it out.  

Today, I was in the mood for some three things: Mexican food, something quick, and a casserole.  I knew I wanted to try something new, so my tasty Dorito Casserole was not an option.  I saw my neighbor outside throwing something in the trash on my way to the store; seeing him made me remember those delicious enchiladas his wife had made.  BAM, I had my menu choice for the day, an enchilada casserole!  

It took me about 15 minutes to mise en place for this recipe.  The cook time was about 40 minutes.  Nick, Jordyn, and Mason really enjoyed it.  Noah is a such a picky eater and refused to even try it.  His loss and more for me!  Remember to follow my blog and leave comments if you try any of my recipes.  Enjoy!

Recipe: Three Cheese Chicken Enchilada Casserole 

Ingredients:

• 1 small package of boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
• 1 medium can of your favorite enchilada sauce (19oz can)
• 1/2 cup of Italian shredded cheese, 1 cup of Mozzarella shredded cheese, 1/2 cup of fiesta blend shredded cheese. 
• 4-6 small flour tortillas
• 1 can of your favorite refried beans
• Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic, season all

Directions: 

1. Rinse your chicken.  In a stock pot, add water, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Lightly season your chicken with black pepper, season all, and garlic.  Add chicken to boiling water.  Let it cook for 25-30 minutes. When your chicken is done, shred it with forks or a food chopper.  

2. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  In a 9x9 baking dish, evenly spread some of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan.  Next, place two of the flour tortillas (overlapping them) on top of the sauce.  Spread some of the refried beans on top of the tortillas.  Then add the chicken.  Next sprinkle a little of each of the three cheeses on top of the chicken.  Finally, drizzle some of the enchilada sauce on top.  Repeat this once more.  Add the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese to the top.  

3. Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, remove the foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes.   Let the casserole stand for about 10-15 minutes before serving.  

4. Enjoy and possibly serve with some type of bread!