Chicken-pumpkin Enchiladas

There has been a plethora of sweet pumpkin recipes lately and I wanted to try using pumpkin in a savory way. I thought about pumpkin raviolis (next weekend?), but I decided that this was a much more original idea and slightly less work. I have been very excited all week to make these and was a bit panicked that I wouldn't be able to find anyone to make them for. My favorite part of cooking is sharing it with other people. I was thrilled when my roommate said she would love for me to make her enchiladas despite hating Mexican food and that her co-worker was going to join us too and we would watch the Brewer game. They both loved them despite being skeptical. If you have ever had sweet potato enchiladas they are very similar--a little sweet and spicy. The flavor of these and ingredients can really be tailored to your tastes, which is great. I threw a butternut squash in because it needed to be used. I decided to flash fry the corn tortillas to add a bit of flavor to them and make them more malleable. It is not necessary but I think it adds a nice touch. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

Corn tortillas

3/4 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Enchilada Sauce:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup (scant) New Mexico chili powder

2 tbs flour

1 3/4 cup chicken broth

1 (80z) can tomato sauce

1/4 tsp (rounded) cumin

1/4 tsp onion salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 garlic cloves grated or minced

salt to taste

Filling:

1 rotisserie chicken

1 small pumpkin (any works, I used a sugar pie)

1 small butternut squash

Vegetable oil

8oz goat cheese

3/4 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the pumpkin/squash in half and remove seeds. Drizzle the insides with vegetable oil and sprinkle with a generous pinch of cumin and salt. Place them cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet and place on the middle rack on the oven for 30-40mins or until tender.
2. For the sauce place the vegetable oil, chili powder and flour in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly, so it does not burn, until it starts to thicken and turn darker (about 1-3mins). Turn the heat down to medium and pour in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, cumin, onion salt, garlic and cinnamon. Stir to combine and thicken and remove from heat. Season to taste with salt.
3. Shred the chicken using a fork and place in a medium bowl.
4. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, spoon the flesh into a food processor along with the goat cheese, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and salt. Pulse until combined to a somewhat smooth consistency.
5. Put 3/4 cup of the pumpkin mixture into the enchilada sauce and stir to combine. Place the remaining pumpkin mixture in the bowl with the chicken and stir to combine.
6. Preheat oven to 350F. In a 9x13 baking dish, spread 3/4 cup of the sauce evenly over the bottom of the dish. Heat a small skillet with 1/2 tsp vegetable oil over medium to medium- high heat. Place the corn tortillas in the pan one at a time and fry on each side for 15secs or until browned in spots, add more oil as needed. Fill each tortilla with 1/2 a cup of the pumpkin-chicken mixture and wrap closed, placing them seam side down in a the baking dish. Cover with 3/4 cup of sauce and sprinkle cheese over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 20mins or until cheese is melted and slightly golden.