moroccan spiced chicken enchiladas with harissa red sauce
Weeknight dinners can be frustrating.
And I say this as if I cook for seven kids, a husband, and two dogs. But that’s far from the truth. Dinner on the weeknights are 86% just Mr. B and I. We sit on the couch, catch up on The Big Bang Theory, Homeland, Sons of Anarchy, and nibble away at whatever I managed to cook up that evening. There’s nothing magical to this equation.
Still, every time Sunday rolls around (and I get a case of the Sunday evenings), I want to pull my hair out at the thought of meal planning. You’d think with the amount of hyperventilating I do, I was planning on feeding the Queen of England. But I don’t think it’s so much about who I’m feeding, it’s what I’m eating. Because no one wants to end their day with a bowl of stale Cheerios. Am I right?
Which is why when I am in a mega weeknight dinner decison-making rut, I go for a staple: enchiladas. Believe it or not, enchiladas are a new dinner rotation in the Grier household. GASP! I have been trying new versions every week and recently I added harissa to the sauce!! Get excited.
You’ve heard of harissa, right? If not, you’ve got to meet my homegirl, Mina Harissa. She makes ready-to-go jarred harissa in three different flavors: green, mild & spicy red. Shoot. Where are my manners? Harissa is a North African spice made up of red chili pepper, garlic, red bell pepper, olive oil, and vinegar. Delish!
Anyways, I added harissa to the enchilada sauce, tossed the sauce with the Morrocan spiced chicken, stuffed the tortillas, covered the tops with gobs of cheese, and baked until the all flavors combined. It’s a weeknight dinner fit for royalty sans the Queen of course.
To learn more about Mina Harissa, visit their webiste and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
***This post was sponsored by Mina Harissa. As always, all opinions expressed are 100% my own***
Moroccan Spiced Chicken Enchiladas with Harissa Red Sauce
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups chicken breast, cooked, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 ounces plain cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup Spicy Mina Harissa
2 1/4 cups Red Enchilada Sauce
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 flour tortillas
Feta crumbles, garnish
Cilantro, garnish
Pico de gallo, garnish
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl combine, chicken breast, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cream cheese, Mina Harissa, one cup of the red enchilada sauce, salt, and pepper. Pour 1/4 of the red enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Next, fill a tortilla with the chicken mixture and roll. Place the tortilla seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat until all the chicken has been used. Once you have filled the baking dish, pour the remaining enchilda sauce over the top of the tortillas. Top with cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until warmed through and the cheese has melted. Remove from oven and garnish with cilantro, pico, and feta crumbles.
Oh snap! My hubby and I watched BBT and Homeland last night. Dontcha just love it??
Harissa became the new basil pesto in our house a while back. I can’t get enough of it! And with these chicken enchiladas it looks super duper good!
GAH!! So obsessed. This time of year has the best shows. And totally agree with you on the pesto replacement. Harissa is the best!
I always think of you when I see harissa!! I need to use it more!!
Mwah!! Let’s harissa the SHIT out of next week!
Harissa is my jam. Love it on everything. And these enchiladas look amaze-balls!!
Haha, I know the hyperventilating over meal planning thing all too well 🙂 If you’d be cooking for the queen though you’d be making some weird things… She likes this weird egg dish I cannot even begin to describe. And they have to make two different kinds of scones EVERY AFTERNOON because her dogs like to eat them. Not her. Only the dogs. Man, I feel so silly for getting worked up about my meal planning when I read stuff like that 🙂
Those enchiladas on the other hand… YUM! I’m not sure if THE queen would like them but I’m the queen of my castle and I’d love them so yeah… Totally fit for a queen 🙂
Ha! Nora, you crack me up! I didn’t realize the Queens corgi’s were scone lovers! Too funny. And yes, I’m thinking the Queen would be no bueno to the enchiladas. Oh, well, more for us!
I know what you mean about meal planning – some weeks I don’t mind, other weeks we have toast and fried eggs three days in a row! I just discovered harissa this year – it is so fantastically delicious! It’s awesome in aioli. But I’ve never considered putting it in enchiladas – yum! So. Making. These!
Gurrrrrl, you gotta’ try it. Life chaining for sure. And harissa in an aioli is amazing!!
Recently made enchiladas (for the first time! crazy, right?!) and these look EVEN BETTER. Give me all the Indian/Moroccan/eastern spices ALL THE TIME. Can’t wait to make these.
Yay!! You will go bonkers for these!! Thanks, Nicki!
First with the mac and cheese earlier in the week and now this? Gorgeous, gorgeous photos, Lauren!
And don’t get me started on Homeland! We started watching the series three weeks ago and caught up just in time for season 4 to start. Totally entranced by that show!
It’s the best show EVER!!!! GAH! So great to meet you btw!! You are a gem.
After months and months of “saying” I’m going to meal plan I’m actually doing it!!! Hurray my family now knows we are going to eat an actual meal each and every night of the week.
Dude, you rule!! I need to get some tips from you!
Love how you flavored these…amazing!
I have never made enchiladas, I don’t know why, they always look delicious. And I love any kind of mexican food. Need to try! These look amazing.
I love this flair on enchiladas! Ive never tried harissa–but I’ve been wanting to for awhile now! Definitely adding this to our menu plan soon! 😉
Well, the queen of England SHOULD come over, because these are worthy of royalty. I just hope her delicate palate can handle it;-)
I always get a case of the Sundays. Womp womp. But these enchiladas! Love! I’m all for anything with harissa.
Ooh Middle Eastern meets Mexican?!?! Sign me up! Love the creative use of harissa.
I love the Moroccan twist on these enchiladas!
Oh goodness – I’m dying over these. I want to make these this weekend. I’m on a HUGE mexican kick but these moroccan-style ones are calling my name!!
My menu planning revolves around what I’m making for the blog that week…which means it’s alternatively exciting and totally stressful depending on my mood and how inspired I feel. Le sigh. These enchiladas are super inspiring, though! I love sneaking harissa into the craziest places.
These enchiladas look and sound like a delicious weeknight dinner. Your weekly planning qualms sound a lot like mine! And most of the time we’re just sitting on the couch catching up on our shows too! Looking forward to adding this to our meal plan soon!
Made this this week for dinner and we loved it. John said “it’s one of your best!” That’s a big compliment from him and of course I was quick to say that it wasn’t me, it was YOU!! Great recipe and yummy outcome!
LOL!!! I am glad the recipe worked out and that John fully approved:) Miss you tons!!! Give your babies kisses for me:)
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