Crunchy Chicken Fajita Wraps w/ Habanero-Green Chile & Pepper Jack Cream

Crunchy Chicken Fajita Wraps w/ Habanero, Green Chile-Pepper Jack Cream
Crunchy Chicken Fajita Wraps w/ Habanero, Green Chile-Pepper Jack Cream

This is an easy, tasty dish I whipped up the other night that is a spin on Chicken Fajitas. The main difference being that these have a crunchy, toasted tortilla that you eat the Fajitas on – either flat like a pizza, rolled up like a burrito or wrap, or folded in half like a big taco. I kicked up the heat a little bit by adding some green chiles, hot Indian red pepper (which is like Cayenne but hotter!), sliced jalapenos, and made a spicy Habanero, Green Chile and Pepper Jack sour cream to give it some more flavor and heat. The dip mixes I bought from a company called Gourmet Creations at the Corn Hill Arts Festival Upstate NY. You can also purchase their seasonings online, or flavor the sour cream with anything you like – a regular onion dip or veggie dip mix would work too. What I love about the mixes from Gourmet Creations is that they are all gluten-free, and are handmade with all natural dried ingredients and they can be used not only for dips and sauces, but to use as spice rubs on fish, veggies, poultry and meat, and they make excellent herb butters, too. I bought about 10 different flavors from them – sooo good!

Now, I’m a total spice-head and LOVE spicy food so if you aren’t interested in making the Fajita Wraps hot, just omit the Indian or Cayenne Red pepper, hot sauce, jalapenos and serve with regular sour cream and cilantro. Another idea if you want a more grilled flavor, is you can grill the chicken and corn first and then add it to the sauteed peppers, onions, chiles and Fajita mix. You can even char the green chiles over a grill or gas flame if you want to get super fancy! This requires a little more time and effort but anything grilled adds a nice charred smoky flavor to the dish.

I recommend a Spanish or Mexican rice to go with the Fajitas, and a smashing Margarita to make it official and douse the flames. Enjoy.

Crunchy Chicken Fajita Wraps w/ Habanero Green Chile-Pepper Jack Cream

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 1/2 large or 1 small-med sweet onion, sliced thin
  • 1 pound chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 packet of Fajita seasoning
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh or 1 can green chiles (mild)
  • 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen, cooked)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper (cayenne or hot Indian red pepper)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4-6 large tortillas (corn, whole wheat, flour - whatever you prefer)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 package Habanero-Chile dip mix
  • 1/2 package Monterey Jack dip mix
  • Dash of hot sauce, (optional, for garnish)
  • Cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute peppers and onions for about 5-6 minutes until soft and onions are translucent. Remove from skillet and set aside.
  2. Add additional tablespoon of oil to skillet and saute chicken until browned about 6-8 minutes. Add water and Fajita mix and stir together with chicken. Return sauteed peppers and onions to the same pan.
  3. Add green chiles, cooked corn, fresh ground black pepper, red pepper or cayenne and lower heat to a simmer. Cook ingredients for another 5-10 minutes on low to heat through, allowing sauce to thicken and flavors to blend together.
  4. Heat another large skillet over medium-high and add 1 teaspoon of oil or spray with cooking spray.
  5. Cook tortillas, one at a time in skillet for about 1-2 minutes, flipping each side, until crunchy and browned. You may also heat the tortillas up in a 400 degree oven for about 5-7 minutes or so if you prefer.
  6. Mix 1/2 package Habanero-Green Chile seasoning mix and 1/2 package Monterey Jack seasoning mix into a medium bowl with 1 cup of sour cream. You can also make the seasoned sour cream mix ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to serve (recommended as the flavors blend better the more they sit!). Another cool idea is to chop up some Chipotle peppers and add these with some Adobo sauce to the sour cream, or even just some extra taco seasoning, or pureed cilantro if you like a cooler creamy topping.
  7. Serve tortillas with Chicken Fajita mixture; top with Habanero-Green Chile & Pepper Jack cream, sliced jalapenos, a dash of hot sauce and chopped cilantro, if desired.
  8. You can roll these up like a burrito or wrap, put the Fajita mixture on top of a flat crunchy tortilla like a pizza or tostada, or fold it in half and eat like a big Chicken Taco! Any way you serve it, it's delicious! Enjoy.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/07/crunchy-chicken-fajita-wraps-w-habanero-green-chile-pepper-jack-cream/

Chicken Enchiladas de Mole Negro

chicken enchiladas mole

chicken enchiladas mole

Last year I took some friends from out of town to a great Mexican restaurant in the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, and sampled their classic Oaxacan-style Enchiladas de Mole Negro (Chicken Mole Enchiladas). Served bubbling hot with a melted layer of Chihuahua cheese, velvety mole sauce and shredded chicken with onions inside corn tortillas, this delicious dish was baked to perfection. I decided they were so good I need to make them myself at home.

Mole (pronounced Moh-lay) is a common dish in Mexican cuisine, prepared with a rich, reddish brown chili-chocolate sauce using dark chocolate and guajillo peppers (you can find these at your local fresh market or online at Marx foods or Penzeys Spices). Slightly spicy with a touch of smokiness, Mole Enchiladas are usually prepared with chicken but can also be made with pork or shredded beef, (or vegetarian with corn, beans and rice filling). To save time, you can prepare the sauce ahead of time, and use pre-made shredded chicken, beef or whatever filling you decide on. Bake them in a clay or ceramic casserole and serve directly from the oven in the dish, garnished with cilantro or green onions, along with a side of chips and a variety of salsas and a tangy lime margarita.

Chicken Enchiladas de Mole Negro

Enchilada Ingredients:

8-10 corn tortillas, small size
1 ½ cups shredded chicken (can substitute shredded beef or pork if desired)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
2 cups grated white cheese, halved in 2 equal parts (queso fresco or chihuahua)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Mole Sauce Ingredients:

2 slices thick-cut bacon
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
4 dried guajillo peppers, seeds & stems removed
4 cloves garlic
1/4 c warm water
1 – 14 oz can stewed Mexican tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 c premium dark chocolate, chopped fine
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Cilantro and diced white onions, for garnish

Directions for Mole Sauce:

Preheat a saucepan over medium high heat and cook bacon until fully cooked and crispy. Remove bacon from pan and save for another purpose. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree chilies, garlic and water in a food processor. Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer, reserving juices. Add tomatoes, broth and strained chili puree to vegetable mixture in the saucepan and cook on high heat for 20-30 minutes. Let the sauce reduce and thicken, then strain the sauce again, pressing on solids.

Stir in the dark chocolate to the sauce until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste; keep warm.

Directions for Enchiladas:

Mix chicken, sour cream, green onions and half of the cheese in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lay out the tortillas on a baking sheet and fill each one with chicken mixture down the middle. Roll the tortillas tightly and lay in a ceramic or clay baking dish that has a thin layer of mole sauce already spread on the bottom (to prevent sticking and burning).

Cover with remaining sauce and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Let stand a few minutes before serving.

Serve with chopped cilantro and green onions for garnish and extra sour cream, if desired.

Serves 4.