Chips and dip, ammiright? I love them. Any idea of not eating too much goes out the window pretty quickly when there are chips and dip involved. Salty, crunchy chips meet creamy, or cheesy, or spicy, or…whatever. I don’t care. Just pass it over.

Guacamole is one of those magic dips that is versatile enough to double as a condiment, and even as a salad topping. Really, the possibilities are endless for this super healthy dip that is traditionally made with avocados, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime juice.

I’ve searched for what seems like forever for the perfect Guac recipe, and thanks to my big brother and and sis-in-law’s recipe, I think I’ve finally found it. It seems like every time I’ve tried to make guacamole in the past, it just didn’t have enough flavor. It seemed bland and had no depth. Turns out, I just needed to simplify my recipe and go back to (almost) basics. I guess older siblings sometimes know what they’re talking about, huh?

How to Make the Perfect Guacamole:

Grab 6 avocados and a large, sharp knife (such as a chef’s knife). Slice, pit, and cube the avocado, removing the cubes into a large bowl with a spoon. For step-by-step instructions on how to seed and slice an avocado, visit this post from my friend over at My Fearless Kitchen. Don’t be intimidated! It’s really easy once you get the hang of it! Instead of just slicing the avocado like she suggests, cut it into a diamond pattern by first slicing in one direction and then the other for this recipe. And there’s no need to be extra careful when you’re spooning it into the bowl; you’re just going to be mushing it all anyway.

Once you’ve got all of the avocado into the bowl, add the other ingredients: diced tomato and onion, finely minced garlic-I like to use a garlic press-, the juice of two limes, diced jalapeno, and some chopped cilantro. Using a fork, start mashing it all together. Once you’ve got it started, add some sea salt or kosher salt. Mash and mix a little more, and keep doing this until you’ve got the consistency and salt level you want. Dig in with some tortilla chips or spoon it on to your taco or salad! Enjoy!

Looking for other Mexican inspired recipes? Try one of these!:

Instant Pot Pork Carnitas

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Zucchini and Hamburger Taco Skillet

Chicken Fajita Salad with Homemade Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

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Easy Guacamole

Your search for the perfect easy Guacamole ends here! The perfect dip, condiment, and salad topper, this traditional recipe is sure to become a favorite!

Course Appetizer, Side

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Avocado, Mexican, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Author Meagan - The Crossroads Cook

Ingredients

• 6 Avocados
• 2 Roma Tomatoes
• 1/4 White Onion, Chopped
• 1 Jalapeno, Diced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 Limes, Juiced
• 3 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
• Sea Salt or Kosher Salt, To Taste

Instructions

• Pit and cube 6 avocados. Using a spoon, scoop pieces into a large bowl. Add the juice of 2 limes, diced tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos, along with the garlic and cilantro.
• Using a fork, mash all of the ingredients together. Stir in some salt and taste for seasoning. Continue mashing until the guacamole reaches the desired consistency.

The post Easy Guacamole appeared first on The Crossroads Cook.

Let’s talk about how much my husband loves Mexican food. The guy could eat Mexican, or Mexican-inspired food, every night of the week if I felt inclined to do the same. In the early days of our relationship, before I started cooking for him on a regular basis, it was not uncommon to open his freezer and find multiple varieties of frozen burritos, taquitos, and enchiladas hanging out in there. If our weekly out-to-dinner night always consisted of Mexican, there would be absolutely no complaints from him. Than man loves him some tacos and quesadillas. Who can blame him?

This is not to say that I don’t also love Mexican food; I do! Just….not with quite the same passion and loyalty that JW feels for it. I think that’s why I’m always looking for a way to put a spin on what we typically think of as Mexican cuisine (in the States, anyway). Sometimes you just need a little more than bell peppers and avocado in your life, you know what I mean?

And yes, I know that actual authentic Mexican cuisine is very diverse, fresh, and healthy. And insanely delicious. What I’m referring to here is the Americanized version that we’ve been fed over the years. Tasty? Yes. But to me that version of things gets a little old after a while.

These Creamy Chicken Enchiladas are the perfect compromise in my mind. JW still gets his “Mexican” flavor, and I get a creamy, delicious, slightly different spin on things. If I happen to be making dinner for my little brother, this is the meal he requests. And thanks to a rotisserie chicken, they’re super easy, too!!

They also freeze well! Just put everything together, but don’t bake. Cover with foil and freeze! Pull out of the freezer and let defrost, then bake like normal!

Ingredients Needed for Creamy Chicken Enchiladas:

• Shredded Chicken. Unless I have extra cooked chicken from another recipe, I just pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store!
• Fresh Spinach
• Sliced Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Sour Cream
• Milk. I always use whole milk.
• Canned Diced Green Chiles.
• Green Onions
• Ground Cumin
• Mozzarella
• Flour Tortillas
• Salt
• Fresh Cilantro and Green Onions, optional

How to make Creamy Chicken Enchiladas:

Heat some olive oil in a pan and throw in some sliced (not minced! actual slices here) garlic.

Let those cook for a minute or two until they become fragrant–the point is just to flavor the oil a little-, then remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and throw in your spinach with a touch of salt. Cook the spinach until it’s just starting to wilt, then put it in a strainer in the sink and allow it to drain a little.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, green onions and chiles, cumin, a large handful of cheese, and salt and pepper. In a separate, larger bowl, combine the shredded chicken (if you are using a whole rotisserie chicken, it amounts to a little over half of the meat that’s on the bird) with the drained spinach and about half of the sauce.

Now it’s time to build your enchiladas! I like to start by spraying my glass baking dish with a little non-stick cooking spray, then putting a little bit of the sauce on the bottom to prevent sticking. Fill your taco-sized flour tortilla with about 2 tablespoons-ish of the chicken/spinach/sauce mixture, roll (no need to fold the ends), and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat until you can’t fit anymore in the dish/you run out of filling.

Smother the filled tortillas in every last bit of the creamy deliciousness that is the sauce. Then top that with the rest of the shredded cheese. Hello, beautiful. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese melts and becomes bubbly. If you want, you can top with some more green onion and cilantro. En. Joy.

Looking for more Mexican-ish yumminess in your life? Here are a couple of our other favorites:

–Chicken Fajita Salad with Homemade Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
–Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
–Zucchini and Beef Taco Skillet

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Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Head to the Southwest tonight with these incredible Creamy Chicken Enchiladas! Cheesy and delicious, they are so easy that they just might be making a weekly appearance on your dinner table!

Course Main

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Chicken, Creamy, easy dinner, Enchiladas, Spinach, White Sauce

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 People

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Shredded Chicken
• 4 Cups Fresh Spinach
• 1 Clove Garlic, Sliced
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 16 oz. Sour Cream
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1 4 oz. Can Diced Green Chiles Drained
• 2 Thinly Sliced Green Onions
• 1 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella
• 8-9 Taco Sized Flour Tortillas
• Diced Cilantro and Green Onion For Garnish, Optional

Instructions

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the sliced garlic. Cook until fragrant, then remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and discard. Add the spinach to the oil with a pinch of salt and cook until just wilted. Remove the spinach to a strainer and allow to drain.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, green onions, green chiles, a handful of shredded cheese, and the cumin and salt.
• In a separate, larger bowl, combine the chicken, drained spinach, and about half of the sauce.
• Spray the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, and spread about a tablespoon of the sauce mixure in the bottom.
• Fill each tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture, and place in the glass baking dish seam side down.
• Spread the sauce over the top of the rolled tortillas, then top that with the rest of the shredded cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with sliced green onion and cilantro to serve if desired.

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