Fix, Freeze, Feast - Kati Neville [24]
When I worried that this recipe was too high in fat, my husband said, “This is a celebration dish!” Save this recipe for special occasions, and you’ll decide it’s worth the extra calories. A huge platter of delicious enchiladas requiring virtually no work from you at mealtime is a perfect choice for entertaining. To cut down on the fat, try light sour cream, light cream cheese, and white sauce made with skim milk. —LT
PARTY ENCHILADAS
MAKES 3 ENTRÉES, 6 SERVINGS EACH
1 TWO-PACK (8–10 POUNDS TOTAL WEIGHT) WHOLE CHICKENS
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3 cups sour cream
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies (about 6 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 9 cloves)
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
18 ten-inch flour tortillas
1 recipe Chicken White Sauce (recipe follows)
1 cup prepared salsa
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)
3 (2¼-ounce) cans sliced black olives (about 1½ cups)
Three 13- by 9-inch baking dishes
Plastic wrap
Aluminum foil
1. Clean and cook both chickens (see Cooking Methods, page 65).
2. Cool and pull meat from bones. Discard skin and bones. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. (A whole chicken will yield about 1 cup of meat per pound.)
3. Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in sour cream, chilies, garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Stir in cooked chicken pieces.
4. To make the enchiladas, lay the tortillas out on a large work surface and divide the filling evenly among them. The amount of filling in each will vary depending on how much meat came off the chickens. Roll tortillas, folding ends in so the enchiladas will fit in the dish. Place 6 filled tortillas in each baking dish.
5. Stir salsa into the prepared white sauce; divide evenly over the dishes of enchiladas. Sprinkle each dish with 1 cup cheese and ½ cup black olives. Wrap each dish entirely in plastic wrap. Top with foil, label, and freeze.
TO COOK ONE ENTRÉE
1. Completely thaw one dish in the refrigerator.
2. Remove plastic wrap and foil and replace foil.
3. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
4. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until sauce is bubbling.
CHICKEN WHITE SAUCE
MAKES 4 CUPS
This versatile sauce can also be used anywhere you would normally use condensed cream of chicken soup. If you prefer a thinner sauce, stir in milk or broth a couple tablespoons at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
½ cup (1 stick) butter, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules, 2 cups water, 2 cups half-and-half (or milk, if you prefer)
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and bouillon; stir into a paste. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gradually add water and half-and-half; cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened, about 8 minutes.
I have my sister Shannon to thank for the name of this dish. During a telephone conversation one day, I said “herb and garlic,” which she heard as “urban garlic.” It stuck. —LT
URBAN GARLIC CHICKEN
MAKES 2 ENTRÉES, 4 – 6 SERVINGS EACH
1 TWO-PACK (8–10 POUNDS TOTAL WEIGHT) WHOLE CHICKENS
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 9 cloves)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 carrots, peeled and cut in half
2 celery stalks, cut in half
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
2 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled
2 one-quart freezer bags
1. Rinse chickens under cool running water. Remove neck and giblets from cavity and discard. Pat chickens dry with paper towel.
2. Combine oil, vinegar,