While traveling through New Mexico, we kept hearing people order dishes smothered in Christmas sauce. 

Say what?

Finally, we were clued in that state's signature dish involved using both red and green chili sauces, both mild, coming together in a colorful and delicious way. I played around with variations and came up with an enchilada shortcut that's cooked in the microwave.

It's not often that I'll do serious cooking by zapping food, but in our tiny kitchen, that's the only option. OK, to be honest, I've yet to figure out how the convection oven portion of the appliance works. Because the manual makes no sense!

So, this dish came together because I happened to pick up some Rick Bayless branded enchilada sauce at some point, and I almost always have crispy tostada shells on hand, preferring them to traditional tortilla chips as salsa scoopers. This recipe involves just a few ingredients and is ready in 10 minutes, though it tastes a whole lot of effort went into putting it together. Happy holidays!

Quick Christmas Enchiladas 

6 crispy tostada shells

Green enchilada sauce

Red enchilada sauce

1 can cooked chicken

1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions: Season the canned chicken with a couple tablespoons of the green enchilada sauce. Layer the chicken and the sour cream on the tostada shells, like you're building a lasagna, finishing each layer with a generous drizzle of sauce. Top with a combination of red and green. Cover and microwave for 3 minutes. Check to see if the tortillas have softened. Microwave 1 more minute if they're still hard. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top. Serves two.

 

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