Celebrate Cinco de Mayo With Chick'n Enchiladas

The following article was written by Keegan Baur.

Cinco de Mayo, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: guacamole, margaritas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, guacamole. Need I say more? This year, I decided to celebrate by rocking out to one of my all-time favorite musical duos, Rodrigo y Gabriela, while whipping up these spicy vegan enchiladas in the kitchen.

Chick'n Enchiladas*
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 bags Gardein Chick'n Scallopini Cutlets
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. cumin powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Mexican spice blend
1 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
5 canned whole green chilies, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 canned chipotle chilies, seeded and minced
1 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes
1/2 tsp. all-purpose flour
16 corn tortillas
20 ounces canned enchilada sauce
1 cup vegan shredded cheese

Optional garnishes: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, vegan sour cream, chopped tomatoes

• Coat a large sauté pan with the oil. Season the chick'n with the salt and pepper. Brown the chick'n over medium heat, according to package directions. Sprinkle the chick'n with the cumin, the garlic powder, and the Mexican spices before turning. Remove the chick'n to a platter, and allow to cool.
• Sauté the onion and the garlic in the same pan until tender. (You may need to add a bit more oil.) Add the corn and chilies. Stir well to combine. Add the canned tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute.
• Using your hands, pull the chick'n breasts apart into shredded strips. Add the shredded chick'n to the sauté pan and combine with the vegetables. Dust the mixture with the flour to help set.
• Microwave the tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. Coat the bottom of 2 13-inch-by-9-inch pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce until lightly coated. Spoon 1/4 cup of the chick'n mixture in each tortilla. Fold over the filling and place 8 enchiladas in each pan with the seam side down. Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
• Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven until the cheese melts. Garnish with your choice of cilantro, scallions, vegan sour cream, and chopped tomatoes (or anything else your heart desires).

*This recipe was adapted from foodnetwork.com.

Looking for more vegan Mexican recipes to make a perfect Cinco de Mayo celebration? We've got you covered!