Green Chile and Chicken Enchiladas

I saw this recipe on an episode of "Cook Yourself Thin," a show which takes people's favorite (and usually unhealthy) recipes and reworks them in a healthier way.  I had to improvise a bit since France isn't know for its extensive Mexican product selection (the guy at the "Fromage" counter at the Carrefour had actually never heard of Monterey Jack cheese -- so sad in this day and age!).  Instead of your usual rolled enchiladas, this recipe uses layered corn tortillas in a lasagna-inspired method.  It's simple, can be amended as necessary, is quite tasty, and reasonably healthy.  Gotta love that!

2 roasted poblano peppers

1 bunch of cilantro, stems removed, or 1 tsp dried coriander

1 lime, zested and juiced

2 cloves garlic

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

12 corn tortillas

1 cup cooked black beans, mashed or blended til smooth

3 cups boiled chicken, shredded

3/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese (ie. Mexican-style, Monterey Jack, cheddar)

2 scallions, green parts only, chopped

1/2 cup fresh tomato salsa

Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

1 lime, cut into wedges, for garnish (optional)

Makes 4 servings.

** <456 calories per serving

Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C).  Lightly oil a 9"x13" baking dish with cooking spray or 1 tsp olive oil.  In a food processor or blender, combine the roasted and peeled peppers, cilantro, garlic, lime zest and juice, chicken stock, salt and pepper, and puree until smooth.  In a separate bowl, combine the chopped scallions and cheese; set aside.

Spread 1/3 cup of the sauce in the prepared baking dish.  Top with a layer of 6 overlapping tortillas.  Spread black beans evenly over the tortillas.  Top the beans with the shredded chicken mixture, and add 1/3 cup of sauce, followed by the remaining 6 tortillas.  Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the tortillas. 

Cover with foil and bake, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the enchiladas begin to bubble on the sides.  Remove the foil and spoon salsa intermittently on top of the enchiladas; sprinkle the scallion and cheese mixture on top.  Continue baking until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more.  Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes, then top with chopped cilantro and serve with the lime wedges.

NOTES:

(a)  Poblano peppers definitely don't exist in the Rhone-Alps (not that I've been able to find anyway), so I had to make my own.  To do this, take your fresh peppers (I used a red bell pepper and two jalapeno-esque [roughly the same size, though not as spicy] peppers) and roast them over the open flame of the stove or barbeque until the skin is almost completely black.  Place immediately in a bowl and cover with a lid or aluminum foil for 20 min.  After 20 min, remove stems and peel the blackened skin off.  You can either leave the seeds or remove them, depending upon the level of hotness you're after.

(b)  Fresh cilantro in the sauce is exponentially better than dry in terms of flavoring, but the rest of the ingredients can hold their own if you must use dry.

(c)  Before you boil your chicken (3-4 boneless, skinless breasts), cut each chicken breast into large chunks.  It makes the boiling easier and the shredding more uniform and quick, especially if you're using a small food processor or blender.  You can also use any leftover chicken (or turkey) you might have, but boiling your own also gives you fresh chicken broth and lets you control the sodium in your stock.  To enhance the flavor of both your chicken and stock, add 2 tsp vegetable bullion to the water before you bring it to a boil.

(d)  The original recipe called for nonfat refried beans, but since that also isn't readily available in France (apparently the Taco Bell brand hasn't begun exporting to this part of Europe yet - shame), pureed black beans are an excellent substitution.  They're high in dietary fiber, help to prevent blood sugar levels from rising too quickly after a meal (make a note, diabetics!), are high in tryptophan (an essential amino acid), and, when paired with whole grains, are a great replacement for red meat.

(e)  I preferred to make my enchiladas taller by using a smaller dish.  I only used 8 corn tortillas, quartered, slightly overlapping in parts.  This gave me three layers instead of two.  Not a huge difference, but I thought it looked prettier.