Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

1/2 C chopped onion

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

3 TBSP butter

2 chicken boullion cubes dissolved in 1 C hot water ( or you can use 1 C chicken broth)

1 tsp ground cumin

2C half & half

2C (8oz) shredded monterrey jack cheese

1 can cream style corn (16 oz)

1 can chopped green chiles undrained 4 oz

1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce

1 medium tomato, chopped

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Brown chicken, onion & garlic in butter until chicken is no longer pink. Add bouillon water to pan w/cumin; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 min. Add half&half, cheese, corn, chilies, and hot pepper sauce. Cook & stir over low heat until the cheese is melted.

Stir in tomato. Serve immediately; garnish with cilantro or parsley if desired.

Serves 6 -8

Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce

To make these up to a day ahead, prep and assemble the enchiladas (steps 1 to 3); cover and refrigerate. Go to step 4 when you're ready to bake and serve.    Before filling, soften the corn tortillas by stacking them between damp paper towels and heating for a minute in the microwave. This makes them more pliable and prevents tearing.

If you want to save time you can buy a cooked rotisserie chicken to use instead.

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

  ● 3 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves 

  ● Coarse salt and ground pepper

  ● 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled 

  ● 2 jars (16 ounces each) medium green salsa

  ● 3/4 cup heavy cream

  ● 12 corn tortillas (6-inch)

  ● 12 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely shredded (3 cups) 

  ● 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional) 

Directions:

 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper; place with garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine salsa and cream.

 2. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred meat, discarding skin and bones. Peel and chop garlic. In a large bowl, combine chicken, garlic, and 1/2 cup salsa mixture.

 3. Stack tortillas flat, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute to soften. Working with one tortilla at a time, dip in salsa mixture, lay flat, and fill with 1/3 cup chicken mixture. Roll up and arrange, seam side down, 8 enchiladas lengthwise and 4 crosswise in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with remaining salsa mixture, then cheese.

 4. Bake until cheese is browned and salsa is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes; let rest 10 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with cilantro, if desired.

Debra's Avocado Salad

In a medium bowl, combine:

6 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced

1/2 large red onion or 1 small red onion, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

10 TBS ketchup

2 TBS fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

Best chilled before serving.

Jan’s Guacamole

I know you all have been missing my guac. Here's remembering and missing you.

2 ripe avocados
juice of 1 fresh lemon
half a red onion, chopped very fine
1 large clove of fresh garlic, minced
2-3 Tablespoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Scoop avocado into a bowl and add lemon juice. Mash with a fork or pastry cutter until thoroughly smashed. Add remaining ingredients and stir all together. Once mixed put one of the avocado pits back into the bowl to help the avocado retain its color. If possible, cover and let sit 15-30 minutes to let flavors blend. If doubling the recipe do not double the garlic. (It can overpower the other flavors.)

This is not an exact science. I usually do the whole thing by feel and never measure the amounts, so the above are all guesses. So if you think it would be better to increase or decrease some the spices, feel free to play with it. Enjoy!

Chicken Salsa Chili

Shannon claims I say that every recipe is easy. This one truely is, it's mostly opening cans and pouring it all in.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup course chopped onion
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cans Mexican tomatoes (Rotel brand)
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained
1 can light red kidney beans, drained
½ cup picante sauce (I used medium. You can use whatever you like.)
1 tsp cumin (I use more like a Tablespoon)
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
Optional: one jalapeno pepper.

In a large fry pan or directly in soup pot, over medium heat warm oil.
Add chicken, onion, and garlic.
Sautee 5-7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer 20 minutes.
Serve over steamed rice.

Garnish with: grated cheese, sour cream, chopped onions, avocado, chips and/or cilantro.

I modified from Café Latte.