Easy Green Chile Enchiladas

I'm not above using the recipe from the back of a can, especially if it's a good basic recipe and it's simple to make.  Case in point, Creamy Chicken and Green Chile Enchiladas.  Here's the recipe as it appears on the can, but stay tuned for the way I really make it.

1 lb uncooked chicken breast strips
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
1 pkg (10.5 oz) flour tortillas for soft tacos (6 inch size)
2 cans (10 oz each) Old El Paso green chile enchilada sauce
3/4 c. (3 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

In a large nonstick skillet, cook chicken over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center.  Stir in cream cheese and chiles; reduce heat to medium.  Cook and stir until blended and cream cheese is melted.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

Spoon chicken filling onto tortillas; roll up and place seam side down in baking dish.  Pour enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.  Yields 12 enchiladas.

Customize this recipe and you'll make it your own.  I've had great success using a small whole chicken, which I boil, de-bone, and shred.  I like the flavor of the mix of dark and white meat.  I lightly season the shredded cooked chicken with Lawry's seasoned salt, fresh ground black pepper, cumin, and coarse ground garlic salt.  Use whatever seasonings you like on Mexican food, but don't season so heavily that you overpower the cream cheese sauce.  While it's still warm, toss the chicken with the cubed cream cheese and the green chiles.

I think this would be even better with roasted or rotisserie chicken because the meat would be drier.  And you could even buy the whole cooked chicken at the grocer's deli counter.  My sons absolutely love this dish.  I love the fact that it's so easy to make!