Giving chicken a turn

I’ve had such success with using pork to make a filling for burritos or quesadillas that I thought I would try the same technique using chicken. My children all love Mexican food, but making it at home is so much less expensive. And this method is simple and delicious.

Take a pound of boneless chicken and put it in a 2 quart pan. Slice an onion into wedges. Sprinkle the chicken and onions lightly with salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper and sugar. Cover the pan with foil and bake in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven, top with 2/3 to 1 cup of salsa. Cover with foil and return to the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven, let rest about 15 minutes, then shred with two forks.

I served the onions separately.

I also made a cheese sauce. In a medium sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Blend flour into butter and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add 1½ cups milk, blending with a whisk to prevent lumps. Cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup shredded cheese (I used a Colby/Jack blend) and stir to melt completely. Add 2 tablespoons of salsa and stir to blend.

We made burritos with this filling and sauce, adding lettuce, salsa and rice – a delicious, easy meal.