So this year was our first Valentine’s Day together as husband & wife, and let me say… It’s waaaay better now! All that pressure’s off, years of wondering “I wonder if he’ll propose this Valentine’s Day…” or “where will we go out to eat” that will undoubtedly be littered with hundreds of other couples all smashed together into a sea of pink and red sweaters. Not this year my friends. We have had some slightly catastrophic Valentine’s Days (hello diamond necklace for me, BOOK for him?? Yes, I got him a book.) Since those days of pre-marital holidays, we have restructured our A-Games, and I must say…it’s kind of fantastic. This year we decided to go low-key: quiet dinner at home (with our furry Valentine, Hendrix) and some movies. (As a side note, the movie Grown Ups is awful. Like REALLY awful. Couldn’t watch the whole thing.)
Back to the dinner. I asked my husband what he’d like for his Valentine’s dinner, and to no surprise, he of course requested his favorite: chicken enchiladas. I made these for him a few years ago, and he’s been hooked ever since. I, however, have decided to break out my stealthy modifications to produce a reduced-fat version that would be just as delicious as ever (and they really are delicious) but a little friendlier on the waistline. So without further ado, I present:
Chicken Enchiladas
You’ll need:
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 sweet yellow onion, diced
1 tsp cumi
1 8oz package of reduced-fat cream cheese (I use the Philadelphia 1/3 less fat version)
1 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese, shredded
1/2 cup of salsa
1 pack of tortillas (I always use Nature’s Promise- burrito sized)
The best way to cook your chicken (in my opinion) is in the crockpot on low for 6-7 hours. I put mine in frozen and it’s usually good to go by then. Just check to make sure it’s cooked the whole way through, but never an issue for me. I cover it with water, and add whatever spices I’m feeling that day: garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, whatever you like. Once it’s done you can place it in a bowl and shred it with two forks, no problem.
Preaheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan coated with PAM (or olive oil), sautee your peppers and onions until tender (about 5 minutes). Then add the cumin, cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese, about a 1/4 cup of salsa, mix and add to the shredded chicken. Then fill the center of your tortilla’s with about three big spoonfulls of the mixture and roll them into a nice neat little row. Top with the rest of your salsa and shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Check to make sure the cheese has melted and the edges have browned a little.
This is what it should look like before it goes in:
And this is what it looks like after it’s come out and your husband is so excited to eat that he grabs enchiladas like they’re going out of business and you don’t get to take your pretty final photo:
And for the result of my healthier Chicken Enchiladas: he never suspected a thing 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day!…
