Chicken Enchiladas

Okay guys...this recipe here...is A-MAZE-ING!! I thought I liked enchiladas before, but after having this recipe I literally don't know if I can go back to my other recipes. This is by far the BEST wet, red, chicken enchilada recipe I have ever come across.
The reason this recipe is so different from others I have tried is the sauce.
THIS ENCHILADA SAUCE is to die for! It's homemade, so yes, it takes a little more effort then just dumping the red deliciousness out of a store-bought can, BUT, it is absolutely worth every additional second it takes to make it.
*Quick tip* I will usually make a double or triple batch of the enchilada sauce alone and freeze it in recipe sized portions so that I don't have to make it from scratch every time. This way you only have to go to the effort of making it from scratch once every few times.


FOR THE ENCHILADA SAUCE:
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup chicken broth
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

FOR THE CHICKEN:
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded *see notes below
1 cup diced onion
2 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup cilantro
kosher salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce

FOR THE WHOLE ENCHILADA:
cooking spray
8 7-inch flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
2 TBSP chopped scallions or cilantro for topping

FOR THE SAUCE:
1.  Add oil to a medium sized saucepan and heat to medium heat.
2. Add garlic and saute roughly 30 seconds or until aromatic.
3. Turn heat up to medium high heat and add chipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
4.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for roughly 10 minutes.
5. Set sauce aside when done and let cool slightly until you are ready to use it in the enchilada.

FOR THE CHICKEN:
1. At this point, get your oven pre-heating to 400°F while you get the chicken mixture ready.
2. In a medium to large skillet, add olive oil and heat to medium heat.
3. Add onions and allow to saute for 1-2 minutes, or until soft.
4. Add garlic and allow to cook another 30 seconds, or until it is aromatic.
5. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.

FOR THE ENCHILADA:
1. Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Take a warmed tortilla (pop in microwave for 10 seconds each or warm in pan on the stove), and add 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it up tightly.
3. Place in the baking dish with the seam side down.
4. Continue this process until all of the chicken mixture is gone.
5. When the pan is full, top with the homemade enchilada sauce and top with cheese.
6. Cover with foil, and bake for 20-25 minutes.

**Randi's Side Notes**
~ I like to buy the rotisserie chickens from Costco and shred them when I get home. I divide this into two freezer containers and keep in the freezer for whenever I need shredded chicken.
~ These enchiladas could easily be made into a freezer meal. I generally will leave the cheese off the top and add it after it has thawed out in the fridge, just before baking.
~ For gluten free, just sub in your favorite gluten free tortilla and shred your own cheese (as shredded cheese bought from the store tends to have gluten added to it to help it not stick together).

This recipe was adapted from SkinnyTaste