Recipe - Chicken Picadillo Enchiladas

PICADILLO
3 tablespoon Olive oil
One half cup Diced (One fourth inch) red onion
One half cup Diced (One half inch) red bell
pepper
6 Ripe plum tomatoes; seeded
and minced
One fourth cup Coarsely chopped pitted
green olives
One half cup Golden raisins
One fourth cup Coarsely chopped almonds
2 tablespoon Drained tiny capers
1 teaspoon Dried thyme
One half teaspoon Ground ginger
One half teaspoon Ground cinnamon
3 cup Cooked shredded chicken meat
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper, to taste
One fourth cup Coarsely chopped flatleaf
parsley
6 cup Marinara Sauce (see recipe)
or other prepared tomato
sauce
16 lg Flour tortillas (about 8
inches in diameter)
12 ounce Monterey Jack cheese; grated

1. For the picadillo, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium
heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add
the tomatoes, olives, raisins, almonds, capers, thyme, ginger, and
cinnamon; cook, stirring, over medium heat another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove
from the heat and stir in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and stir
in the parsley.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

3. Spread 2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a large shallow
baking dish (or use 2 mediumsize baking dishes each large enough to hold 8
enchiladas).

4. Spoon One fourth cup of the picadillo 1 inch from the edge of a flour tortilla.
Roll up and place, seam side down, in the baking dish. Continue with the
remaining tortillas and picadillo.

5. Pour the remaining 4 cups sauce evenly over the enchiladas, then
sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top. Bake until the top is
slightly browned and the cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes 16 enchiladas or 8 entrée servings

NOTES : When enchiladas are served in Mexico, they are often a bit heavy
and meaty, but these chickenfilled tortillas are light and delicious and
filled with the best flavors of the Mexican palette. Use chicken left over
from a large roasted bird or poach some breasts for the filling. Olives and
capers, with their briny bite, play against the flavorful sweetness of
cinnamon and raisins. Enchiladas are easily prepared ahead of time and
baked just before serving.

Recipe by: Copyright © 1994 by Sheila Lukins

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #862 by MsRooby msrooby@blarg.net on Oct
24, 1997