Cast Iron Enchiladas Lately, I’ve been on a quest to use my cast iron skillet for just about everything. There is nothing like the feeling of using an old skillet that has seen many a good meal over the ages. I’ve been using it for breakfast, lunch and dinner – and over the next couple of weeks – I’ll share some of my best cast iron cooking.

A good childhood friend (thanks Jen Seay!) passed this recipe down to me and it is so rich that I make it about once a year. I usually make it for my 21 year old brothers, Miles and Kinnon. They are six feet tall and have an endless appetite. My brother Kinnon works in the bakery while awaiting Medical School to begin, so I have to keep him well fed with the holiday baking season in full gear. So with tropical storm Ida moving through, it’s been raining for a couple of days now and the girls are looking for some activity in the kitchen. With this recipe for chicken enchiladas they can easily help shred the chicken and grate the cheeses. When it’s damp and chilly, these rich and creamy chicken enchiladas served in a hot cast iron skillet do the trick.

Cast Iron Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

  • 2 Chicken breasts, fully cooked
  • 1 Block Cream Cheese
  • 2 Small Cans of Green Chiles
  • 1 Green or Red Pepper, chopped
  • 5 Large Corn Tortillas
  • 1 Small Can Enchilada Sauce
  • 1 Cup of Grated Cheese (I like a mix of Sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack)
  • 1/2 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream or Half and Half
  • 1/2 Bunch Chopped Cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375
  2. Shred the chicken breasts
  3. Note: In a pinch tip – use a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket
  4. Saute the onion and bell pepper till tender and then add the green chiles
  5. Mix in cream cheese and when well incorporated add the shredded chicken
  6. Brush the cast iron skillet with oil and sprinkle a small amount of cheese in the bottom (this keeps the tortillas from getting soggy)
  7. Warm the skillet until the cheese begins to bubble
  8. Fill the 5 corn tortillas one at a time with the cream cheese mixture, rolling them like a burrito and placing them side by side in the skillet
  9. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top
  10. Pour the cream over the top
  11. Bake at 375 until golden & crispy

Note: I like to warm the enchilada sauce and serve on the side but it can also be poured over the enchiladas at the end of baking and cooked for ten more minutes.

Serve these decadent enchiladas with a refreshing salsa fresca, chips and a crisp green salad.