chicken enchiladas

The other night I had a hankering for a casserole-like dish, but also for something resembling a burrito (I always want a burrito, you see). Voila! Enchiladas. I remember wanting to try this recipe in Everyday Food. Of course, I had to add beans, because beans=love. I also added some of that pesky ham that I can't seem to use up. This was such a good winter night dish, and a great dish if you want something that will make good leftovers and/or freeze well. Spicy, warming comfort food without a whole lot of guilt. This was my first time making enchiladas and I now realize I need to make enchiladas far more often. The possibilities are endless!!

Chicken, Bean and Ham Enchiladas

-about 1 cup of chicken stock, plus water to make 1 inch in a pan
-2 whole cloves of garlic
-salt
-2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
-1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 jalepeno pepper, minced
-about 1 cup of finely chopped ham
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-1 shallot, chopped fine
-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 to 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotles in adobo
-about 14 ounces of chicken stock
-1/2 cup water
-10 corn tortillas (6-inch)
-1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

In a pan with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1 inch of chicken stock with 2 whole cloves of garlic to a boil. Add chicken. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 5 minutes; remove from heat. Let chicken steam, covered, until opaque throughout, 12 to 14 minutes. Shred chicken with 2 forks, and place in a bowl with the beans, ham and jalepeno.

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add garlic and shallots; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add flour, cumin, and chipotles in adobo; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly, 5 to 8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer 1 cup sauce to bowl with chicken mixture; toss to combine.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour 1/4 cup sauce into bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside. Stack tortillas, and wrap in a double layer of damp paper towels; microwave until hot, about 1 minute. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture; roll up tightly, and arrange, seam side down, in baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce, and top with cheese. Bake until hot and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.