Foodie Fridays: Thai Chicken Enchiladas

I have a new favorite recipe, and it is Thai Chicken Enchiladas!  As usual, I modified it slightly for more convenience, but the essential flavors are still the same and they are amazing.  I happen to love cilantro, so I left it in.  It is actually quite subtle, and I added a generous sprinkling of the herb to my serving for more intensity.  Since my husband is not a cilantro fan, I could easily leave it out of the filling next time and just serve it on the side.  The sauce of coconut milk and sweet chili sauce is so good I now prefer these enchiladas to the Mexican type.  I have never tried to make Thai food before, so this transitional recipe was a good way to ease into the effort.  I think I am now ready to attempt something like Pad Thai, but these enchiladas will always remain in my repertoire!

Thai Chicken Enchiladas

1 T. oil (canola or peanut)
4 C. (1/2 bag) tricolor coleslaw mix

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded*

4 scallions, sliced

1/3 C. chopped salted peanuts + more for garnish

¼ C. chopped fresh cilantro + more for garnish

salt and pepper to taste

2½ C. light coconut milk**

1 C. (7.5 oz. bottle) sweet chili sauce

8 flour tortillas

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil.  Sauté the coleslaw mix for about five minutes, then add the garlic and cook one minute longer.  Stir in the chicken, scallions, peanuts, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste, tossing to coat, and let cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add in ¾ C. coconut milk and 1/3 C. sweet chili sauce, mixing thoroughly to combine.  Remove from the heat.

Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.  Whisk together the remaining coconut milk and sweet chili sauce.  Pour about ½ C. of the sauce on the bottom of the dish. With a spoon, roughly divide the chicken mixture in the skillet into eight portions.  Slightly warm the tortillas if desired to make them more pliable, then place a portion of the chicken mixture in each, rolling up tightly and placing in the dish. Cover with the coconut milk and chili sauce mix (there is more than enough sauce to thoroughly coat each enchilada).

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and spoon the sauce from the bottom of the dish all over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle each serving with additional chopped peanuts and cilantro as desired.  Serves 4.

*I used the white meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

**I used one 13.5 oz. can plus one 5.5 oz. can, which yielded the exact amount needed.