My Fearless Neighbor

My next-door neighbor, Richard, is absolutely fearless. Most people are afraid of feeding me. It’s not that I’m that great a cook, but that I have a reputation for being a great (even “gourmet” as people used to say) cook. I’m seldom asked over to friends’ homes for dinner because either A) I don’t bath often enough or B) they’re afraid of me judging their food. Given that I almost never hear complaints about my personal hygiene but when I do get asked to dinner I get tons of apologies about the food I suspect the reason is B.

Richard, though, wants me to taste his cooking and, more, demands a no-holds barred critique. It took him a while to convince me he was serious, but he was. So last night when he brought me a bowl of chile to taste I was completely honest: Needs a tad more vinegar, needs more onion or garlic, excellent spice balance, and so on. These are my opinions, neither right nor wrong, but he likes my food and he ignores my usual comment about the lack of salt. He takes everything I have to say in stride. I envy this.

My neighbor has the advantage of not being invested in cooking. He loves good food and enjoys cooking, but that’s about as far as it goes. He can take my thoughts as suggestions without feeling put down. This is something that comes much harder to me because cooking and writing about it is what defines who I am. Say something critical about my food and I take it personally. I will try to hide that fact. I will find time to think about and consider the criticism — whether pro or con — and accept or reject it consciously and not with a jerk of my knee. But, well my knees do jerk.

I have no idea if anyone but me will like this version of Chicken Enchiladas, but I certainly did. I marinated the chicken in tequila, lime juice, and chili powder for a couple of hours, then poached it in the marinade until done. Then I reduced the marinade and combined it with some tomato sauce to make the enchilada sauce. The sauce was delightfully complex and knee jerk good – at least in my opinion.

Chicken Enchiladas
Serves 4.

3 chicken thighs
1 c tequila
2 limes — juiced
2 tbsp chile powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c chicken broth or stock
1 c tomato sauce
1 tbsp corn oil
1 md onion — cut into half rounds
1 md green bell pepper — cut into strips
2 cloves garlic — minced
1 jalapeno — minced
8 corn tortillas
1 c shredded cheese

Mix together tequila, lime juice, salt, and chili powder. Pour into a large, lidded skillet and add thighs. Marinate for one hour and turn thighs over. Marinate another hour.

Place skillet over high heat. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce temperature to low, cover, and simmer very gently for 25 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Increase heat to medium high and reduce liquid to 1 cup. Add tomato sauce and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.

Cut thighs into strips. Heat oven to 375F.

While chicken is poaching, Heat corn oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper and sauté, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapenos and cook 1 minute longer — stirring 2 or 3 times.

Wrap tortillas in a paper towel and microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds. Lay them out on a piece of waxed paper. Smear a bit of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish — just enough to moisten it.

Divide onion/pepper mixture and chicken evenly between tortillas. Drizzle filling with a soup spoon full of sauce, roll up, and place seam-side down in an 8×8 baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over the tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, and bake until cheese browns. Serve topped with sour cream.

Try these enchiladas with…
Mexcican Rice
Braised Brussels Sprouts
Fried Okra

15 Responses to “Chicken Enchiladas”