Tag Archives: Mexican

Simple Authentic Mexican Chicken Taquitos

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I love discovering easy , simple, family recipes.

 

Easy Chicken Taquitos

These chicken taquitos are an authentic , Mexican recipe and so amazingly easy to make I don’t think I’ll ever buy taquitos in a Mexican restaurant or take-out ever again. And this recipe makes so many – so it’s very budget friendly.  Today, I am going to make these using leftover turkey and leftover mashed potatoes now that Thanksgiving is over. A fun batch of food now that the boys are back in town! And since the corn tortillas are gluten-free, everyone can enjoy them.

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 1-2 Chicken Breasts with Bone
  • 1-2 Heaping Tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 1-2 Large Potatoes
  • Pepper to taste
  • Tortillas (corn but flour work as well).
  • Favorite authentic salsa , guacamole and sour cream
Chicken and potatoes after boiling and removing skin.

Chicken and potatoes after boiling and removing skin.

 

Boil chicken and potatoes in a big pot of water until done.( If using leftover chicken or turkey, boil the potatoes and drop the poultry in just a minute before potatoes are done.)

 

Let both cool enough to handle. Remove the skin from the chicken,  remove the meat and shred it with a fork. Place in bowl. Peel the skin off of the potato and add the potato without the skin to the same bowl as the chicken. Add the mayo and pepper and mix together using a fork.

 

Warm the tortillas (so they are soft enough to roll) in oven, pan or microwave.

Filling Tortillas with Chicken Mixture

 

Spoon the chicken, mayo and potato mixture into the center of a tortilla, roll up and secure with toothpicks. Stab with a fork (so they don’t explode in the oil).

 

Fry in hot oil or if you want to bake instead, place on a baking sheet and brush oil over the tortillas and then bake until golden brown and crispy.

 

Serve with cut avocado or guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

 

Maria (who I got this recipe from) also soaks sliced yellow onion in vinegar for just a few minutes and serves under the taquitos along with shredded lettuce. A really, simple nice touch!

Mexican Enchiladas with Red “Rojo” Sauce

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Ever since Maria shared her enchilada sauce recipe with me, I make it often. I don’t always “roll” the tortillas but often just layer the tortillas like lasagna noodles with the chicken, sauce, onion and cheese. That particular “like lasagna”  method will save you alot of time. And if you purchase the cheese already shredded and use leftover roasted chicken, it is a dinner you can heat up and have on the table in minutes. With the sauce recipe I listed here, I made 16 enchiladas rolled in two small dishes. I poached two chicken breasts and used all of the meat (about 2 cups). And about 1 15 ounce bag of shredded cheese.

 

  • Corn tortillas
  • Shredded Jack Cheese or Queso Ranchera Cheese
  • 1 Onion, chopped fine OR 3 Green Onions chopped 
  • Cooked shredded chicken
  • Easy Enchilada Sauce

 

Cooked shredded chicken (store bought rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken works well in this recipe. Otherwise, just poach some chicken pieces in salted water until done and pull the meat off the bones discarding the skin and grizzle or just poach skinless, boneless breasts and slice or shred ).

 

 

Corn tortillas are usually gluten-free.

Corn tortillas are usually gluten-free.

Using a tong, add some vegetable oil  to a pan. Heat each tortilla on each side in the oil and put aside on a plate.

 

 

Place some of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.

 

 

 

Layer Chicken, Cheese and Onions, then roll.

Layer Chicken, Cheese and Onions, then roll.

Dunk the tortilla in the sauce, fill with a little cheese, onion and chicken (I make mine with no chicken actually as I prefer plain cheese). Roll and place seam side down.

 

Roll the remaining tortillas up. Top with more sauce being sure to save some of the sauce for topping before serving.

Red Enchiladas, ready to heat and eat!

Red Enchiladas, ready to heat and eat!

 

 

Sprinkle more cheese on top. Heat until the cheese melts in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven. 

 

 

 

Authentic Mexican Red Enchilada Sauce

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My son has Celiac and cannot eat flour so I was really disappointed when I saw that my favorite “go to” canned red enchilada sauce was not gluten free because it contains wheat flour as well as some other ingredients with names I could not pronounce properly. But my problem was easily remedied when I asked Maria (someone I work with) for her enchilada sauce recipe and of course, what a bonus that it was so easy to make! She only adds garlic and water, I added onions and spices. Now I make enchiladas from scratch at home all the time and they are far less expensive than buying them  “to go ” from any of the local neighborgood Mexican restaurants! While the sauce recipe calls for dried Guajillos which Maria said are the best to use, I love Ancho Chilis and you can combine the two. Or, you can experiment with other types of chilis, all of which are really inexpensive – another bonus!

 

Dried Guajillo or Ancho Chilis are the main ingredient in Red Enchilada Sauce.

Dried Guajillo or Ancho Chilis are the main ingredient in Red Enchilada Sauce.

To make the sauce:

 

  • 10 (or so, what is in one small package) Dried Guajillo Chilies (I purchase them at a Mexican market or my local Fresh n Easy market carries them which is so convenient).
  • 1/2 Yellow Onion sliced or chopped
  • Small pot of water or broth
  • 1-2 Cloves Garlic
  • Pinch of Oregano 
  • Pinch of Cumin 
  • Cayenne if you want it spicier (optional)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Remove the stems and some of the seeds from the Guajillos (or remove all the seeds if you do not want it spicy).

 

Simmer chilis until soft. Then add spices.

Simmer chilis until soft. Then add spices.

Add the chilis, onions and the garlic to the pot and add enough water to cover the chilis well.

 

Bring to a simmer and simmer the until the chilis are soft and bend easily. 

 

Drain first. Then blend. Add fresh water back in as needed.

Drain first. Then blend. Add fresh water back in as needed.

Drain about half the water out from the pot and then place the chilis with the garlic, onion and spices in a blender. Blend. Add fresh water back in to thin the sauce as you prefer. 

 

 

 

Scrape Sauce through Strainer with a spoon.

Scrape Sauce through Strainer with a spoon.

Strain through a strainer over a larger, clean container. (Scrape the sauce back and forth with a spoon until the sauce drips through.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finished Enchilada Sauce.

Finished Enchilada Sauce.

The enchilada sauce will now be very smooth and ready to pour over chicken or to use in any traditional red enchilada recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pork Chops with Cocoa Spice Rub

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When I managed restaurants, most of the kitchen staff were from Oaxaca, a beautiful part of Mexico where indigenous colors and culture abound. Sometimes they would make their own (off menu) food on the line to eat and share. One of my favorites was a meat rub Chucho would mix from dried spices and ingredients and sprinkle over cut meat that he’d fry in a pan and serve with corn tortillas. While the Oaxacan mix is usually paprika,  cinnamon, (unsweetened) cocoa powder, cumin, salt, oregano, black pepper and cayenne, below is another variation. But you can have fun experimenting with any mix you like, and, it’s as easy as mixing the ingredients in a bowl and storing in your cupboard! This spice mix also makes a great gift bottled and tied with a simple ribbon. This rub also can be used on steak, fish or shrimp.

Spice Rubs make any dinner easy.

Spice Rubs make any dinner easy.

  • 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa
  • 1 Tablespoon Powdered Cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon any Chili Powder (my favorite is Ancho Chili).
  • 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar (this allows the meat to carmelize)
  • 1 teaspoon each Salt and Black Pepper

 

Rub on both side Pork Chops (or a Pork Tenderloin would also work).

 

Fry in Pan in oil or BBQ for 3-4 minutes per side (depending on thickness. 1 minute longer per side if really thick, 1 minute less if thin). I prefer to Pan Fry so the spices stay on the meat and do not fall through into the grill grates. 

Dinner Pork Easy Mexican Spice Rub Cumin Garlic Oaxacan Oaxaca Gluten Free