My Mother-in-Law's Green Enchiladas w/Chicken

Disclaimer: I am Puerto Rican, not Mexican. This is the way my Mexican Mother-in-law taught me how to make green enchiladas. If this is not the way to make authentic green enchiladas, and refried beans please feel free to let me and my mother-in-law know.

This is my mother-in-law. Isn't she beautiful. Doesn't she look totally different from her picture here.

And here are my mother-in-laws enchiladas.....

We have chicken, corn tortillas, cheese, peppers, onions, cream of mushroom soup, pinto beans, ham, and spices.

First, take your peppers and cut them up. The peppers I have are jalapeno, and some type of chili pepper. You can use all jalapeno or a mixture of jalapeno and serrano. Whatever you like. But remember, wash your hands after handling the peppers. Do not, I repeat, do not rub your eyes while handling the peppers. I learned this the hard way. The first time I made enchiladas, I rubbed my eyes and thought I was going to go blind! I cried and screamed in pain. Not a good memory.

Once you cut the tops off the peppers, cut along the side and take out all the seeds. I am told the seeds hold all the hotness.

peppers all cut and clean

put the peppers in a pot and boil until they get soft.

Next are the pinto beans for refried beans. I love refried beans, but I always get the ones in the can. My MIL said I better not feed her precious son beans out of the can, so I had to make the real deal. I have never made homemade refried beans before. This should be interesting.

First you check the beans for any small rocks, or deformed beans. I have found a rock or two in the beans. You wouldn't want to feed your family rocks, would you?

Next you rinse the beans off...once rinsed you let soak in water for a few hours.

After the beans have soaked for a few hours, you put them in a pot with water and a hambone, hamhock, bacon pieces, whatever. (For you non pork eating people, you can omit the pork.) You cook the beans for a few hours. At least that is what I was told.

Read disclaimer above.

Once you have the beans going, start your chicken. I always use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I like dark meat......get your heads out of the gutter!

I've sprayed the pan with Pam cooking spay, and seasoned the chicken. I used garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and adobo.

Cover the chicken and let cook.

Isn't it great to have a stove full of cooking food. It would be even better if I didn't have to clean up afterwards.

While everything is cooking, take this time to chop up an onion.

By the time you finish all that your peppers should be about ready. Take the peppers and puree in the blender.

Add a can of cream of mushroom soup. This is the big can. I wouldn't make a good chef. I should put the ounces of the can, but I threw it away. Sorry.

Blend together, and there you have your green enchilada sauce. At least according to my Mother-in-law....see disclaimer above.

OK, once the chicken is cooked, dice it up or shread with your hands. I choose to shread. Putting my hands all in the food makes it taste better.

for the enchiladas, you use CORN tortillas, not flour

heat up vegtable oil and fry the corn tortillas...a few seconds on each side

they should start to bubble up like this...

Take the tortillas and blot off all the grease, repeat until you have enough for the enchiladas you want. I make an enchilada lasagna. I know, it doesn't sound like Mexican enchiladas.....but again, see my disclaimer above.

Now you start the layers, bottom layer is tortillas

then chicken

pour the sauce over the chicken

add onions

top with cheese

Repeat until you have filled the pan. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until all the cheese is melted

Now it's time to make the refried beans.

drain the beans

Heat a little vegtable oil in pan, add the beans.

Smash the beans and add spices....garlic powder, onion powder, whatever you like, to your taste. Now, these beans did not look all that great to me,, but this is how my MIL told me to do it....see disclamer above.

Now you can't have Mexican food without guacamole. At least I can't have Mexican without gauacamole. I love avacados!

Cut an avacado in half like so.

scoop it all, and put in bowl

I like guacamole, so I used 2 avacados.

add spices....garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, and mix

Now taste....mmmmmm, good! I could eat this whole bowl by myself.

by now your enchiladas should be about done. Look at all the oooey, gooey cheese!

I usually make a salad to go along with the meal


And here is your finished product.

I have a confession to make though......those are canned beans in the picture. The beans did not come out right at. all. They were dry and pretty horrible. When I called my mother-in-law to complain about the beans, she said I was suppose to save some of the juice from the beans instead of draining it all. Uh, that would of been nice to know, BEFORE I made the beans. Needless to say, I won't be making homemade refried beans. Not my thing. I'll save myself some work and get a can of beans.

Again, see my disclaimer. I am Puerto Rican not Mexican.