Shipwrecked Enchiladas on the Barbie
Here's a way to have your enchiladas and a cool kitchen, too! A great way to fix enchiladas in the summer.
- 1 Juice of one lime
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 chicken breast half (see note below)
- 4-5 chicken thighs (see note below)
- 1 large onion (sliced)
- 2 bell peppers (cut into strips)
- 1/2 cup green enchilada sauce (per serving)
- 8 Corn tortillas (heated for best resuts)
- Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 oz shredded to top each serving)
- Preparation
Preheat the barbecue to medium heat. Slice onion and peppers and set aside. Shred the cheese and set aside. Slice the chicken breast into 1 1/2 inch strips and set aside.
- Seasonings
Combine 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, juice of one lime, and the spices in a small bowl. Brush mixture on one side of the chicken.
- Let's grill!
Place chicken on barbecue with the seasoned side down. Brush the remainder of the seasoning sauce on the top side. Grill chicken 4-6 minutes on the first side, then flip and grill until done. Check internal temperature of chicken with an instant read thermometer. When chicken is 165 degrees F, it is done.
While the chicken is on the grill, brush onion and peppers on one side with olive oil. Before turning the chicken to the second side, place the onions and peppers directly on the barbecue. Be sure to place them crosswise so they don’t slip through the grates.
- Final steps
Heat the enchilada sauce in the microwave.
When the chicken and veggies are cooked, remove from heat. Put the chicken on one plate, the veggies on another.
Layer two tortillas on each plate. Place one chicken thigh and a slice of the breast on the tortilla (depending on the size of the pieces, you may only need one of these). Ladle the enchilada sauce over the chicken and tortillas, then top with onions, peppers, shredded cheese, and a dollop of cream cheese.
We use boneless, skinless chicken to reduce the fat and to make preparation easier. However, if you'd prefer to use skin on and bone-in, simply adjust cooking times. Slicing the chicken breast is subjective. I've found that by cutting the chicken into slices about 1 1/2 inches thick, they cook nicely and do not dry out.
We prefer cotija cheese over Monterey Jack. But a small block, then crumble what you need right on top of each serving.
If you're serving two people, cook up all the chicken and veggies, then set half aside when they're ready. Next time around, all you need to do is heat everything up and you're ready to go!