Sour Cream-Chicken Mini Casseroles

Please excuse the name of this post. They're basically enchiladas in a bowl, but "Sour Cream-Chicken Enchiladas in a Bowl" sounded too weird to me.

With that said, you should definitely make these, in a bowl, in a casserole dish, in a whatever. They are delicious. 

I first made these enchiladas in the summer of 2010, and my boyfriend and I immediately fell in love with this Homesick Texan recipe. This is a great winter meal to enjoy. It takes a some time to prepare, but believe me, it's worth it. 

Now see, I opted to make the enchiladas into a mini casserole because... 

1. I was too hungry to wait for my boyfriend to come home from work
2. I was too lazy to assemble and roll up each individual enchilada
3. Individual-sized foods are just fun!

But of course, you can opt for any way that suits your time and preference. Since I chose to use oven-proof bowls, I had to cut 4 of the tortillas into smaller circles in order to fit snug inside each bowl. For some reason, I figured that would be easier than roll up enchiladas. 

Anyway, cooking times and assembling will change a bit depending on how you would like to enjoy this tasty Tex-Mex dish. And I hope you do!

Ingredients for 2

• 2 chicken thighs
• 1 white onion, half diced and half coarsely chopped
• 6 corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded cheese (Monterrey Jack, Pepper Jack, Mild Cheddar, or assorted)
• 4 garlic cloves, half minced and half left whole
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bunch of cilantro stems, tied with kitchen string
• 4 jalapenos, roasted and seeded
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups cooking liquid
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, more for topping
• Salt and pepper
• Vegetable oil

In a saucepan, add 1/2 white onion coarsely chopped, 2 whole garlic cloves, cilantro stems, chicken thighs, bay leaf, salt, and enough water to cover all the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour. 

Remove chicken thighs from broth and allow to cool. Allow broth to continue to simmer.

In a pot, melt the butter. Throw in the roasted jalapenos and cook until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. 

Add flour and cook for 1 minute. Pour 2 cups of the hot broth into the pot, while whisking. Cook until thickened and then add sour cream, cumin, and cilantro. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. 

Shred the chicken thighs and discard the skin and bones. 

Using an immersion blender, blender, or food processor, blend the sauce until smooth. 

In a pan, add some oil and heat each tortilla for 1 minute on each side. If you need to alter the sizes of the tortillas, now is the time to do it. Not after they've been fried in oil. 

Keep tortillas warm while assembling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a oven-proof bowls or ramekins, pour 1/2 cup of the sauce into the bottom. Place a tortilla on top of the sauce and top with a quarter of the shredded chicken and sprinkle with cheese. Ladle another 1/2 cup of sauce and repeat with the layers again. Top with remaining tortillas and ladle with another 1/2 cup and sprinkle with cheese. 

Place onto a baking pan. Place the bowls into the pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese starts to brown.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.