BBQ Chicken Enchiladas.

January 10, 2011

I consider enchiladas to be ammunition.

Traditional enchiladas were the first dish I ever made Mr. How Sweet, long before he put a ring on it. They are still his most requested dish… he generally begs for them once or twice a month. If I want him to do something, I make enchiladas. He will almost do anything for enchiladas.

Except get rid of the turkey. Or eat a meatless meal. I already tried that with enchiladas.

Since he can eat the same meal for four hundred years before getting bored, I make enchiladas quite a bit. They’ve worn out their welcome on me – unless someone else is making them. Then I’m all in. Why does food taste better when someone else makes it?

After last week’s enchilada request, I was determined to put some kind of spin on it. On a whim, I whisked some of our favorite BBQ sauce into a can of enchilada sauce. I was instantly hooked. I knew that sweet, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese and BBQ sauce were just what we needed to break out of our enchilada rut. It was happening.

The thing is, I made this big batch of enchiladas just for Mr. How Sweet. I’m going to be away for a few days this week and wanted to leave him something for lunches and dinners. Or should I say dinner. One pan lasts about 30 minutes in our house. And in the face of starvation, you never know what he will eat.

I assume it would look like eggs… ground turkey… steak… chicken… protein bars… steak… cookies… and chicken. And I am not coming home to a man house that smells like that.

I couldn’t help it though.

They just looked and smelled so delicious. One bite turned into two, two bites turned into an entire enchilada, and one enchilada turned into three. I’ve never been good at math.

And that is how I ate Mr. How Sweet’s lunch for the week.

To be honest, the idea of BBQ enchiladas has crossed my mind once or twice, but I was afraid it may taste a bit off.

If the combination scares you, don’t let it. It truly is so delicious – Mr. How Sweet and I agreed that these are just as fantastic as traditional enchiladas, but different. Different in a good way. Not different in a strange way, like bacon in a granola bar.

What? That’s not strange either.

BBQ Chicken Enchiladas

makes 8 enchiladas

8 large whole wheat tortillas (my favorite are La Tortilla Factory!)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

28 ounce can red enchilada sauce

1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (or more depending on your tastebuds)

1/2 large sweet onion, sliced

1 tablespoon BBQ seasoning

pinch of cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on low-medium. Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt, and let caramelize until soft and golden – about 10 minutes. While onions are cooking, dump enchilada sauce into a bowl and whisk in your favorite BBQ sauce until combined.

Add shredded chicken to onions with BBQ seasoning and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly. Pour in about a half of a cup of enchilada/BBQ sauce mixture, and add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup colby cheese. Stir until mixture comes together and turn off heat.

Pour a drizzle of enchilada/BBQ sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Take each tortilla and fill it with 1/2 + of chicken mixture. Roll each up and set it in the baking dish. Dump remaining enchilada/BBQ sauce on top of tortillas and add remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.