By Juan, these were emmaliciously tasty!  Even though they were slightly labour intensive (think lasagne construction) these spicy, zesty and cheesy enchiladas had my whole family moaning with unadulterated delight. Perfect for a small gathering paired with some Pulled Pork Taco’s (check out the recipe http://emsfoodforfriends.com.au/pulled-pork-tacos/ here!) and a crunchy Mexican style salad it would be a memorable fiesta for all, especially the chef as you revel in the praise from your visiting amigos!   Su Tiempo di Fiesta!!

Prep time:  1  Hour                  Cooking time:  1 Hour 15 Minutes                     $  Low Budget

Serves 6 Large serves or 12 Small

4 chicken breast fillets

2 tbs of olive oil

1 tsp of ground cumin

1 tsp of ground coriander

1 tsp of paprika

1/2 tsp of chilli powder

4 spring onions, sliced

400gm tin of sweet corn, drained

1 jalapeno chilli, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lime

2/3 cup of sour cream

1 cup of grated tasty cheese (I use the Mexican 3 cheese blend but any will do)

1/2 a bunch of coriander, rinsed and roughly chopped

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

12 wholegrain or wheat tortillas  (Medium sized)

For the Sauce:

1 tbs of olive oil

1 large dried Ancho chilli*

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp of ground cumin

1 tsp of ground coriander

1 tsp of paprika

1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper

700gm bottle of tomato passata

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1/2 tsp of sugar

1/2 bunch of coriander, rinsed and roughly chopped

Sea salt and cracked pepper

11/2 cups of grated tasty cheese

Boil the kettle and soak the Ancho chilli for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl place the chilli powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Stir to combine and place the chicken breasts in the mixture and toss well to coat.

Heat a frypan to nice and hot and add the chicken breasts.  Fry for approximately 7 minutes on each side or until just cooked through, remove from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.  Once cooled, get your hands in there or use a knife and shred the chicken into nice stringy chunks.

In the same pan you cooked the chicken in, add a little more oil and lightly fry the chilli and garlic until aromatic before adding the spring onion and sweet corn.  Fry for a further minute and then add the shredded chicken back to the pan.  Pour in the lime juice and sour cream, sprinkle over the coriander and tasty cheese, add a little seasoning and mix well to combine.  Set aside.

Once the Ancho chilli is nice and soft, remove the stem and pour out half of the water.  Using a hand blender or normal blender, blitz the chilli until it is a nice paste-like consistency.  Set aside.

In a clean pan, lightly fry the garlic in a little oil until just aromatic.  Sprinkle in the spices and stir to combine before adding the ancho chilli paste, tomato passata, lime juice, sugar and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Bring to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes just to let all the flavours infuse.  Have a taste too, if you like and adjust any seasoning if necessary…..it should have a nice, zesty, smokey flavour!

To assemble the dish, pour a little of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a large lasagne dish and spread it around evenly.  Take a tortilla and lay it flat on a board.  Place two large tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the centre of the tortilla, spreading it out to the ends and roll the tortilla up before placing it in the lasagne dish.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas.  Once all tortillas have been filled, pour the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle over the cheese.

Preheat the oven to 190°C and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden and bubbling.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.  I served ours with a simple chopped salad of cos lettuce, cucumber, avocado, red onion and coriander, drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil, a drizzling of lime juice and sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Emmalicious!!

* Ancho chillies can be found in specialty food stores or online at http://www.herbies.com.au/