Chicken Zucchini Enchiladas

I first discovered the inspiration for this dish on my favorite food blog Skinnytaste.com in the form of her Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas. I've made a number of personal adjustments to the recipe over the past year to feel that I've made it mine. The biggest change of course is adding the chicken. Definitely check out the original recipe though for a totally vegetarian version, and be sure to peruse the rest of her website for delicious recipes. It's never steered me wrong yet.

I love to make Dutch Oven Chicken, but what to do with the leftover chicken when it's just the two of us? I like to use it in either soup or enchiladas. Although sometimes we just want enchiladas, so I just cook a chicken breast or two for the cooked chicken. You decide!

Chicken Zucchini Enchiladas:

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil

2 cloves crushed garlic

4 medium scallions, chopped

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

2 cups cooked shredded chicken

2 medium zucchini, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (divided)

8 large tortillas

Enchilada Sauce:

Ingredients:

1 clove crushed garlic

1 Tbsp chopped chipotle chili in adobo sauce

1 cup tomato sauce

1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin 

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Start with the enchilada sauce so it has time to simmer. Using a medium saucepan, spray cooking spray and sauté the garlic on medium heat. After about a minute add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400˚ and grease a 9" x 13" baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large skillet, (I've even used a wok) over medium heat the olive oil and add the garlic and scallions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the cilantro, chicken and zucchini and salt and pepper to taste and sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for five minutes. Drain off the excess liquid and add 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Divide the mixture between 8 tortillas. Roll them and place them seam down into the greased baking dish. Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas. You may have extra left over. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until hot and cheese it melted. Top with extra cilantro and scallions if desired.