Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

All I can say about this meal is Wow! I am visiting my son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. They had been to a birthday party all Sunday afternoon and when I arrived Kristen put this meal together in no time at all. The chicken chilaquiles should be on everyone’s rotation of quick meals. It starts with a rotisserie chicken. Need I say more? But the end results are worthy of any company dish you would want to make. Kristen is a fantastic cook. I remember the time, shortly after she and Michael were first married, when they ate the lettuce wraps at P.F Changs. She has a very sophisticated palate and figured out what was in them and started making them at home. Every meal at their home is an adventure in wonderful flavors; exotic pizzas, complex salads and flavorful Mexican dishes like this one. Kristen got the original recipe from epicurious but she tweaked it to suit her taste. The guacamole salad is from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa at Home. I have been buying Kristen the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks for Christmas and she loves them as much as I do. This is one of my favorite summer salads. It is colorful with grape tomatoes, yellow peppers, black beans and avocados and paired so well with the chicken. It was a lovely Summer evening and we enjoyed this feast on the deck with a bottle of chardonnay. Life is good.

CHICKEN CHILAQUILES

1 cup sour cream
3 to 4 Tbls milk
1 3/4 cups Green salsa ( Pace has a good one, as does Trader Joe’s)
1 can reduced sodium chicken broth
Coarsely shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken, skin removed
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips plus a few more for the top
6 ounces grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Stir together sour cream and just enough milk to get a thick pourable consistency.

Bring salsa and broth to a boil in a heavy pot over moderately high heat. Add the chicken, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until chicken is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes, then stir in 6 cups tortilla chips and cook until chips are softened (but not mushy), about 1 minute.

Transfer chilaquiles to a large platter. Sprinkle with grated cheese, sour cream, broken chips and cilantro. Serve rest of sour cream on the side.

GUACAMOLE SALAD

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and 1/2 inch diced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup small diced red onion
2 Tbls minced jalapeno peppers, seeded (2 peppers)
1/2 tsp freshly grated lime zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled and 1/2 inch dice

Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno peppers, and lime zest in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss well.

Just before you’re ready to serve the salad, fold the avocados into the salad. Check the seasoning and serve at room temperature.

Printable recipe – Chicken Chilaquiles
Printable recipe – Guacamole Salad