Chicken, Kale, and Black Bean Enchiladas

Hello and welcome to the resumption of Firefighter Friday!

Last week's hiatus just put a fire in my belly (hehe...no pun intended) to make this week's meal extra special! I thought I'd kick off today by telling you all something super interesting about firemen and stations. Did you know that if a woman gives birth to an unwanted baby, she can legally drop it off at a fire station as long as the baby is less than 72 hours old?

 

How very antiquated, right? I don't know how many people know this, but I was not one of them! Let's segue into the delicious meal!

Why is it that some things taste so good, and yet photograph so horrible?  

I assure you that the recipe I am about to present you with is 'bomb', according to our dinner guest. I let the day (and the good picture-taking light) get away from me, but managed to get a couple of decent shots!

I've become very interested in photography since I started this blog, so bear with me as I learn and improve!

I realize the importance of taking a good picture (especially of food) in order to tantalize the palate of the reader.

These pictures don't convey how scrumptious this meal was! Corn tortillas stuffed with chicken, vegetables, and beans all covered with a homemade enchilada sauce and gooey cheese. How could you go wrong?!

CHICKEN, KALE, AND BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS

ENCHILADA FILLING INGREDIENTS:

1-2 T. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 small jalapeno, chopped

1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded with a fork or your hands

1 large tomato, diced

1-2 t. chili powder

1 t. cumin

1/2 t. oregano

1 c. (gently packed) kale, chiffonaded

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

8-10 kalamata olives, sliced, optional

2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled, optional

1-2 c. (packed) extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

8-10 corn tortillas

ENCHILADA SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 garlic clove

1/4-1/2 c. water or broth

1 t. cumin

1 t. chipotle powder

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 360 degrees.

For the filling, saute the onion, garlic, and jalapeno in olive oil until onion is softened (about 5 minutes). Add in chicken, tomato, beans, and spices. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add in kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients together for the sauce in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. To assemble the enchiladas, fill a corn tortilla with some of the chicken/kale mix, top with a bit of grated cheddar, and roll.

In a 9 x 13 baking dish, spoon about 1/3-1/2 of the enchilada sauce onto the bottom of the dish. Place the rolled and filled tortillas, seam side down, into the dish. Top with the rest of the sauce, grated cheddar, olives, and goat cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly.

 

As with most of the firefighter meals, these can be altered to suit your tastes. If you're vegan, add some quinoa or rice in place of the chicken! Don't be afraid to also add your choice of vegetables and/or beans! Zucchini, mushrooms, and corn would all be great veggie substitutions or additions! You can also use another leafy green in lieu of the kale. Play with it!

While my husband was working in the yard yesterday, he came across these two baby doves:

Aren't they sweet? I have a special place in my heart for doves, as they symbolize hope. One appeared to me during a sad time in my life, and I actually have a tattoo of it in remembrance of that day. The one I saw was white and, while that's how they're typically thought of, they can be various shades of brown and grey. Seeing them made my day!

Do you have any meaningful tattoos?

I just have the one, but am dying to get more! I've heard tattoos are addictive, but the pain deters me. My husband and I would like to get our initials (L and R) on our wrists and tell everyone we can't tell our right side from our left. 🙂

I hope you have a great, relaxing weekend!