Turkey Club Enchilada Casserole
In the mood for a fiesta? Make these bubbly enchiladas ahead of the party and just heat up!
Ingredients
For the skillet gravy:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or turkey stock
- 1 cooked roast turkey breast (2-2 1/2 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1/4-1/3 pound center-cut smoky bacon or applewood smoked bacon (such as Oscar’s Hickory House Warrensburg)
- 2 medium onions or 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 jalapeño peppers or Fresno peppers (seeded for a milder filling), chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin (a scant palmful)
- Black pepper
- 1/4 cup cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- Salt
- 16 corn tortillas or 12 6-inch flour tortillas
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 3 cups Monterey Jack cheese or a combo of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack, divided
- 1 tin diced green chilies (4 ounces), well drained
- For the garnishes: chopped or shredded iceberg lettuce or hearts of Romaine; diced avocado dressed with lime juice; seeded, diced tomatoes; chopped red onion or scallions; crème fraiche, Mexican crema or sour cream, for dolloping.
Preparation
For the gravy*, heat a medium size saucepan over medium high heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the flour and cook for about a minute or so. Whisk in the stock and allow it to thicken until reduced to 1 cup.
*Use about a cup of leftover gravy instead of this skillet gravy if you have it!
Coarsely chop the turkey meat and pulse process in a food processor into fine chop.
Heat a large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat with the EVOO, a couple turns of the pan. Add the bacon and render until crispy. Add the onions, garlic and peppers and season with cumin and black pepper. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the turkey and cilantro or parsley, lime juice, tomatoes and gravy. Warm through and season with salt, to taste. Remove from the heat.
Char the tortillas and blister in a hot dry skillet or over an open flame on a gas burner, 30-40 seconds per side.
In a saucepot over medium heat, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute; whisk in the milk. Season with salt and pepper and thicken to coat a spoon. Stir in 2/3 of the cheese and melt, then stir in the green chilies.
Fill the tortillas with the turkey and bacon mixture and arrange in large baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the enchiladas, then top with the remaining cheese and cool; store in the fridge if this will be a make-ahead meal.
To bake the enchiladas, bring to room temperature and pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
Bake the enchiladas until brown and bubbly, 40 minutes if they've been in the fridge, or 20-25 minutes if still warm from the initial preparation.
Top the enchiladas with any or all toppings and serve.
