Cool weather is setting in and I was in search of a new take on soup and sandwich night. This chicken enchilada soup is addicting. My secret ingredient is the masa harina (very finely ground corn flour). It thickens the soup and gives it a rich flavor. Sheet-pan quesadillas are a genius invention for feeding many with less mess. And I think they taste better in the oven than the pan! They are great for a weeknight meal because they can be put together in advance and popped in the oven when everyone is ready to eat. I used a store bought salsa-verde but any favorite salsa will do.
Weeknights—Chicken Enchilada Soup and Salsa Verde Baked Quesadillas
Scale
Ingredients
- For the Chicken Enchilada Soup:
- 3 dried Arbol peppers (steeped in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften and then minced) Or 1 jalapeño, minced
- 2 Tbls. olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
- 1 tsp. each salt and pepper
- 2 Tbls. chili powder
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. coriander
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 14.5-ounce cans black beans, undrained
- 1 4.5 ounce can diced green chilies
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 quart chicken stock (1 cup reserved)
- 1/2 cup masa harina
- 1 cup water
- Fritos
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Crumbled cojito or cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and Arbol peppers or jalapeño; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add chicken breasts, salt and pepper, chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, and oregano. Stir to incorporate, 1 minute. Add beans, green chilies, and tomatoes.
- Next, mix 1 cup of chicken stock with masa harina until well blended. Add the remaining chicken stock to soup and bring to boil. Add in the masa harina mixture and reduce heat to medium-low, stir occasionally until soup has thickened, 5-10 minutes. If soup is too thick add up to 1 cup of water, season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve with fritos, chopped cilantro and cheese.
Weeknights—Chicken Enchilada Soup and Salsa Verde Baked Quesadillas
Scale
Ingredients
- For the quesadillas:
- 1 package large tortillas, trimmed with pizza cutter to form squares
- 4 tbls. butter
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces of Montery jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Sour cream
- Taco sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the butter.
- Lay tortillas in the prepared pan, overlapping them as needed to fully cover the base.
- Pour the salsa in an even layer on top of the tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the salsa.
- Arrange the remaining tortillas on top of the cheese, overlapping as needed to fully cover the pan. Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons butter evenly over the tortillas.
- Bake until the tortillas are golden and the cheese is fully melted, 9 to 12 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro. and green onions.
- Serve immediately, warm, with sour cream and taco sauce on the side.
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