Meat Archives - Page 5 of 10

Kibbeh Kebabs (Beef and Bulgur) Recipe

To anyone who might be offended that I am liberally calling these kebabs “kibbeh,” I apologize in advance. I know I am taking some liberties with this recipe and there are many who might think there’s not enough of one spice or another, or that they should be fried or made with lamb, but if I called these kebabs something else, then a whole other group of people would be offended. So let me start out by saying that I am in no way an expert in Middle Eastern cuisine, but I am an expert in what my family likes and they could eat these kebabs several times a week if I made them. So I think you should know about this recipe, whatever you decide to call it.

Stir-Fried Ginger Beef with Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe

Admittedly, these images aren’t the best, because I took these after the sun set and everyone was rushing me to eat. “OMG. Can you puh-leeease take the picture already? I’m starving!”

“Puh-lease yourself. You just ate 2 hours ago and 4 hours before that. Fine, I’m almost done. Can you just get out of my light a little?”

“Ugh!” Sorta happens a lot around here. 😉

Asian Turkey Lettuce Cups Recipe

Thank you to Foster Farms for sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Few things make me more excited than when Mr. Picky loves something I cook. I mean, the kid has challenged me in the kitchen for 13 years and still going! These Asian Turkey Lettuce Cups were such a huge hit with my son (and the rest of my family), that I changed my next cooking class menu so that I could teach this recipe pronto! We don’t go out to eat too often, but lettuce cups are something my son loves to order. I enjoy them as well because they are generally light and flavorful. But it is pretty difficult to find a restaurant which uses mostly organic ingredients, so I enjoy lettuce cups much more when I can make them at home with the ingredients I prefer.

Chicken Enchiladas Rojas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Delicious Enchiladas Rojas stuffed with chicken and smothered in a homemade enchilada sauce. As close to traditional as you can get– with an easier (and less messy) assembly method! Serve with your favorite toppings and some Mexican side dishes I’ve gathered for you!

Why You’ll Love This Enchiladas Rojas Recipe

This recipe is “the whole enchilada,” so to speak. I’m giving you a method for poaching the chicken (though you can also use this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Recipe), making the enchilada sauce from scratch, and assembling these red enchiladas. The only thing we’re not covering today is how to make corn tortillas, and I am sure homemade corn tortillas are the only thing that would make these enchiladas better.

If you buy cooked chicken and canned enchilada sauce, you don’t really need a recipe to make enchiladas. Not judging of course, because we’ve all been there and shortcuts have their time and place. But if you can plan ahead, these are amazing. My entire family loves these Enchiladas Rojas and let me tell you, they’re a tough crowd.

I grew up on Long Island and didn’t even taste Mexican food until I moved to Los Angeles after college. My kids have grown up in LA and they are experts on Mexican cuisine, sometimes having lengthy discussions about which local taco joint has the best this or that. So when I make something Mexican that gets the thumbs-up, I am relieved and proud at the same time.

Ironically, these are not my personal favorite enchiladas. I am more of a green (tomatillo) sauce person, so I am obsessed with these Enchiladas Verdes. But my family digs this recipe. I’ve been making enchiladas rojas for years and my son (Mr. Picky) used to call these “chicken tacos with Mexican tomato sauce.”

Are These Authentic Enchiladas?

I did tons of research on how to make authentic enchilada sauce. In fact, I had someone from Mexico teach me the different variations she knows. What I learned is a recurring theme in cooking which is that there’s no one way to make anything. If I ask 12 people from Mexico to make enchiladas, there will be 12 different versions. That said, many people are rather particular about what makes an “authentic” enchilada sauce. But at the end of the day, I don’t really care about that. The enchilada police aren’t going to write me up because I included a little bit of tomato in my sauce. As always, feel free to adjust this to your liking.

But many agree that the base of a true enchilada sauce are rehydrated dried chiles, such as Ancho and Guajillo, and no tomato products at all. My family likes the flavor of the sauce better with a little bit of tomato, but otherwise, I do have to agree that the sauce is so much more flavorful, richer, and more authentic when a good amount of dried chiles is used. My Whole Foods has a huge section of bulk-dried chiles in the produce section. But you can also find dried chiles online on Vitacost.com, Amazon.com, or any number of sites.

The assembly is where I must deviate from tradition, though. I am not going to slide my corn tortillas through overheated oil (not healthy and super messy) and then again through enchilada sauce (even messier.) My method was designed by someone, i.e. me, who doesn’t love slipping on oil on the kitchen floor or cleaning up any more than she needs to at the end of the day!

I add a little sauce to the chicken and cover the stuffed and rolled tortillas with sauce and that test the job done. I also like subbing out some of the chicken for beans, creating chicken and bean enchiladas. Or you can take the veggie and black bean recipe and substitute this red sauce for that green sauce. One of my favorite things to do is rattle off ways a recipe can be tweaked. Suffice it to say, I can do that all day long with enchiladas! They are so versatile and lend themselves to lots of different fillings. You can even choose flour tortillas instead of corn. Lastly, my son doesn’t like cheese and I can’t eat it these days, so it’s easy to leave it off some of the enchiladas. I always serve them with plenty of avocado, so I don’t miss the cheese.

Ingredient Notes

Enchilada Recipe

chicken breasts: I used bone-in, skin-on chicken–about 1 ¾ pounds+ or 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken meat (or you can use the recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos on my site).

white onions

large garlic cloves

kosher salt

corn tortillas: Or you can use flour if you prefer.

grated cheese: if desired, such as Monterey Jack and cheddar or queso fresco.

Red Enchilada Sauce

guajillo chiles: If you can’t find these guajillo peppers, you can try substituting 3 tablespoons of chili powder instead– I haven’t tested this myself, but it should work!

onion

garlic cloves

Roma tomatoes or an equivalent amount of jarred tomatoes

sea salt

olive oil or avocado oil

chicken broth or vegetable stock

chili powder to taste

For exact ingredient amounts, please see the recipe card below.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: To poach chicken: Place the chicken breast in a saucepan with the onion, garlic, and salt and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through– about 25 minutes. Allow the chicken to cool in the poaching liquid. Remove the chicken from the saucepan. Remove skin and bones and shred the meat.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 3: Place the dried chiles in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until very soft. Drain. (Do NOT use this soaking liquid — it’s very bitter.)

Step 4: Place the soaked chiles in a blender with half of the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Process until smooth.

Step 5: Thinly slice the remaining onion. Heat a skillet over medium heat and warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes, or until just tender. Add the chile mixture and stock to the pan and simmer for 15 minutes or until flavors deepen. Taste for seasoning and add chili powder and/or sea salt to taste if necessary. Because my stock is unsalted, I always add an extra 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend with a hand blender, if desired. This mellows out the sauce a little, but you don’t have to do it.

Step 6: In the meantime, warm the tortillas on a griddle or skillet on both sides until softened. Keep warm in a cotton kitchen towel.

Step 7: Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch or 12 x 8-inch baking dish with olive oil. Spoon about ½ cup of the sauce over the shredded chicken and toss. You can also mix in some shredded cheese with the chicken if you want.

Step 8: Place about 1/3 cup of chicken down the middle of a tortilla and roll tightly. Place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with each tortilla. Cover all the rolled tortillas with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese, if desired. Cover and bake until heated through and cheese is melted about 15-20 minutes. If you want the cheese to brown, put it back in the oven uncovered for another 5 minutes. Serve your enchiladas rojas immediately with chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, and sour cream or cashew cream.

Expert Tips

I’ve never tried this, but if you can’t find Guajillo chillies, you can use 3 Tablespoons of chili powder instead.

Serving Tips

Transfer to a serving plate or leave in the casserole dish. Serve these enchiladas rojas garnished with any of your favorite toppings including avocado slices, chopped cilantro, a dollop of sour cream, cotija cheese, and/or chopped green onions (if desired.).

While this meal is hearty enough on its own, you can serve it with any of these or your favorite side dish:

Storage Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven.

To freeze, let the enchiladas rojas cool completely. Transfer them (without garnishes) to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes until warmed through. Garnish and serve!

More Mexican-Inspired Recipes

If you give this enchiladas rojas recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a star rating and review! I have started a weekly Monday newsletter with tips, musings, new recipes not published here, fun new finds, and more. Subscribe for free here.

For more delicious recipes and to learn how to be a better cook, check out my monthly online cooking classes. I have been teaching people for 15 years how to cook healthy food that their families love! Join me!

Chicken Enchiladas Rojas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Pamela

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings

Ingredients

2 large bone-in skin-on chicken breasts about 1 ¾ pounds+ or 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken meat (or you can use the recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos on my site)
½ small onion peeled
4 large garlic cloves smashed
1 Tablespoon additive-free kosher salt like Diamond Crystal

Sauce

12 dried Guajillo chiles* washed, stems and seeds removed, chiles torn into 2-inch pieces
½ small onion divided
2 cloves garlic
4 Roma tomatoes or en equivalent amount of jarred tomatoes
1 teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste especially if your stock is unsalted
1 Tablespoon olive oil plus a little for greasing pan
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock preferably homemade
chili powder to taste if necessary
12 corn tortillas or you can use flour if you prefer
grated cheese if desired, such as Monterey Jack and cheddar or queso fresco
optional toppings: sliced avocado cilantro, sliced scallions

Instructions

To poach chicken: Place the chicken in a saucepan with the onion, garlic and salt and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Allow chicken to cool in the poaching liquid. Remove the chicken from the saucepan. Remove skin and bones and shred the meat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the dried chiles in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until very soft. Drain. (Do NOT use this soaking liquid -- it's very bitter.)
Place the soaked chiles in a blender with half of the onion, garlic, tomatoes and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Process until smooth.
Thinly slice the remaining onion. Heat a skillet over medium heat and warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes, or until just tender. Add the chile mixture and stock to the pan and simmer 15 minutes or until flavors deepen. Taste for seasoning and add chili powder and/or sea salt to taste if necessary. Because my stock is unsalted, I always add an extra 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend with a hand blender, if desired. This mellows out the sauce a little, but you don't have to do it.
In the meantime, warm the tortillas on a griddle or skillet on both sides until softened. Keep warm in a cotton kitchen towel.
Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch or 12 x 8-inch baking dish with olive oil. Spoon about ½ cup of the sauce over the shredded chicken and toss. You can also mix in some shredded cheese with the chicken if you want.
Place about 1/3 cup of chicken down the middle of a tortilla and roll tightly. Place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with each tortilla. Cover all the rolled tortillas with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese, if desired. Cover and bake until heated through and cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes. If you want the cheese to brown, put back in oven uncovered for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately with chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions and sour cream or cashew cream.

Notes

I've never tried this, but if you can't find Guajillo chiles, I am thinking you can try using 3 Tablespoons of chili powder instead.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven.
To freeze, let the enchiladas cool completely. Transfer them (without garnishes) to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes until warmed through. Garnish and serve!

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Baked Asian Turkey Meatballs Recipe

Why is it that I don’t like meat, but I can handle meatballs? Maybe because it doesn’t resemble actual meat? Most people, both kids and adults, like meatballs. I have made many meatball-related recipes in my classes, and they are always quick favorites. I grew up thinking a meatball was only something simmered in a marinara (tomato) sauce and served with pasta. And it usually is, but there are Mexican-flavored meatballs in albondigas soup, sweet and sour meatballs, Swedish meatballs and Greek meatballs, so why can’t there be Asian-flavored meatballs? Indeed there can be.

When I came up with this recipe, they didn’t go into a soup or in a rice and veggie bowl, although those would be great ways to enjoy the meatballs. I served them taco-style, in a big lettuce leaf with crunchy cabbage and a spicy sauce. My family went nuts and the mamas in my classes all ran home to make these for their kiddos. I received lots of great feedback, so I am confident you will receive rave reviews.

soy sauce turkey

Cassoulet-Style Chicken and Sausage Recipe

Did you notice a French theme happening on the blog? As soon as I remembered the French onion soup recipe I taught a few years ago, it also occurred to me that I had never posted this chicken and white beans recipe which I developed for a teaching trip in Southwest France many years ago. Cassoulet is an incredible, hearty French dish (actually it refers to the recipe as well as the vessel it’s cooked in) with duck confit and sausages and chicken and white beans all stewy and luscious together. It also requires tons of time, like at least a full day +. And I’m not saying it’s not worth it, but it’s not realistic for me or most of the universe to spend that much time on dinner.

So I came up with a version that can be made quickety quick on a weeknight and although it doesn’t have the richness and depth of a traditional cassoulet (which coincidentally was posted in the New York Times this week by Sam Sifton — check it out here), this one is also lighter and more in line with how I like to eat, i.e. not feeling super weighed down like I need a 3-hour nap after I eating, which is what I did after I ate real cassoulet in France.

Curried Chicken Salad Recipe

I’m sure you all pushed away your keyboards and ran into the kitchen to poach chicken after Monday’s post, right? Perfect! Now let’s do something healthy and delish with your chicken. I have a recipe for the BEST curried chicken salad I have ever eaten! Even my family, which to my chagrin prefers more “simple” flavors, loves this salad.

I thought it would be a great time to post this curried chicken salad since you might be looking for some new options for school and/or work lunch. At it’s most basic, curried chicken salad is just what it sounds like — chicken salad with curry mixed in. I use a yellow curry powder, which is a blend of different anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek and many others. But as opposed to basic, standard chicken salad to which I add celery and onion, I like to add a little something sweet to balance the curry. My husband and I disagree on whether diced apple or halved grapes is better. I think they’re both good, but since I am a sucker for crunch, I usually add apples.

I used to make Ina Garten’s version with Major Grey chutney and white wine, but the chutney is not something I usually use and it was taking up space in the fridge. So I created my own blend of ingredients, including apricot preserves, to mimic the sweet, hot, tart flavor of the chutney. This is the best part of the dressing. So, so good and flavorful! I also like to use shredded, as opposed to cubed or diced chicken, because I think the nooks and crannies of the shredded chicken pick up more of the dressing.

You can make it the day before and tuck it inside of a pita or 2 slices of hearty, whole grain bread. Or, as I like to do it, eat it in a lettuce cup. A little avocado would put this over the top! Feel free to make this spicy or change up the preserves. I think any variation of orange, apricot, peach or kumquat would be great. I like the St. Dalfour brand which is sugar-free and without added preservatives. I think this might become your new favorite chicken salad! For you vegheads, I may try to do a tofu version of this. How does that sound?!