Baked Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 800 g chicken thigh fillets, boneless, skinless
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp chipotle paste
• 8 flour tortillas
• 400 ml passata
• 150 g cheddar, grated
• 15g coriander, to serve
• Soured cream, to serve
• Lime wedges, to serve
• Mexican-style rice, to serve
• shredded iceberg lettuce salad, to serve
• refried beans, to serve

Method

1. Heat a large frying pan over high heat with a splash of oil. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper, then fry for 5–6 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Set aside to rest for a few minutes, then shred with two forks.
2. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion and red pepper to the same pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and starting to catch at the edges. Stir in the garlic, chipotle paste, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano and fry for 2 minutes, until the spices are fragrant and the paste has darkened.
3. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick enough to hold a spoon trail. Fold the shredded chicken back through, season well and remove from the heat.
4. Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan. Divide the filling evenly between the 8 tortillas, spooning it down the centre. Roll each one tightly and place seam-side down in a large baking dish.
5. Pour the passata evenly over the top and scatter the grated cheddar across in a generous layer.
6. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes, until the cheese is golden, blistered and bubbling at the edges.
7. Scatter the coriander over the top, finish with a pinch of chilli flakes and serve straight from the dish with lime wedges, Mexican-style rice, shredded lettuce salad and refried beans alongside.