Curbing my craving.

I love Mexican food.  Living in LA was a dream because there is an abundance of amazing Mexican restaurants all over that city.  In Boston?  Not so much.  I totally had a craving for shredded chicken enchiladas the other night and decided to try to make them on my own.  Surprisingly, not that difficult.  Now I am not suggesting that this is a super authentic Mexican dish (it really isn't) but it had all the elements I needed to curb my craving.  And the shredded chicken can be used in tons of things!  Salads.  Nachos.  Enchiladas.  Sandwiches.  Whatever.  Here's the recipe.

Shredded Chicken (adapted from this recipe):

• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3-inch strips
• 4 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups thinly sliced onions
• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 4 tsp fresh-squeezed lime juice

Add the oil to a large saucepan over medium heat.  Season and toss the chicken with the chili powder and salt.  Add the chicken to the pan and sear for 3 minutes per side.  Add the onions to the pan and saute for 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute.  Pour the stock over the chicken and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a low heat and cover.  After about 30 or so minutes, stir the chicken and with a fork, begin to shred the pieces.  Cover and continue to cook on low.  After an additional 15-20 minutes, shred and mash the remaining chicken.  If there is still a lot of stock left, cover and continue to cook until stock has almost entirely evaporated (mine took just about an hour).  Before serving, add the fresh lime juice (I actually forgot this step and the chicken was still delicious).  Enjoy.  Share, if you must.

This recipe resulted in such a deliciously tender and flavorful shredded chicken.  So good.  And I had more than enough to use in my enchiladas (recipe here) and even had leftovers for chicken sandwiches for lunch the next day.  This recipe is definitely a keeper.