Chicken Beans and Greens Enchiladas

Enchiladas are festive and great for holidays.  And I think we are missing an opportunity if we don't throw in a few fresh veggies along the way.  Here I add spinach and green beans, but you could add most any veggie you fancy.  A whole meal in one.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 corn tortillas
1 can pinto or black beans in chili sauce
8 oz Pepper Jack or Monterrey cheese, grated
8 oz fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup salsa verde
Srirach or other favorite hot sauce
1 large fresh, ripe tomato, diced and drained

Sour cream
Lime wedges

Preheat oven to 375F. Place the chicken breasts in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil, salt lightly and simmer for about 8-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool. Reserve the cooking liquid for soup stock.

Using tongs, heat the tortillas directly on the flame of a gas stove, just to heat through and blacken slightly. Alternatively use a very, very hot small standard skillet (DO NOT USE NON STICK). Heat the tortillas for a minute or two each side. Set tortillas aside and keep warm under a kitchen towel.

Meanwhile, heat 2 cups water in a medium pot to a boil. Salt lightly and toss in the green beans. Cook only just until barely crisp tender - they will cook a bit more in the oven with the enchiladas. Drain and set aside.

Now assemble the enchiladas. Spray 2 small or one large casserole - large enough to hold 8 enchiladas - with oil. Sprinkle half the salsa verde on the bottom of the casserole(s). layer 3 of the 4 cups spinach above the salsa verde. Top the spinach with half the chili beans.

Now shred the chicken either using two forks, or ideally your clean hands. Toss the chicken with the remaining beans and half the cheese. Divide the chicken mixture among each tortilla. Roll around chicken mixture and place enchiladas on top of the spinach and bean base.

Nestle remaining spinach, and the green beans between, and all around the enchiladas. Sprinkle the enchiladas with the remaining salsa verde and the hot sauce. Top with the remaining cheese and place in oven.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Halfway through, sprinkle on the tomatoes. Bake until the enchiladas are heated through and browned nicely. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  You can use any kind of canned bean you like (rinsed and drained) instead of chili beans, but it will be a bit drier, so be aware.  I'm all for fewer processed foods, but this might be one of the times you used prepared food to have a fast, flavorful, moist enchilada and still get dinner on the table before midnight...  It's only a small part of the whole dish.

You could also substitute diced tofu for the chicken for a vegetarian version - oh and how wonderful it would be if you browned the tofu with a dash of garlic before using!

Use whatever veggies you have on hand - already cooked, or frozen - the point is: augment your enchiladas with more veggies.  Keep a variety of frozen veggies on hand for meals like this!

Finally, if you keep cooked chicken breast on hand in the freezer, you are way ahead of the game and this is then really fast - especially if you are using leftover green beans from the other night.