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Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream SauceThis is a savory option for our crêpes.  It’s pretty much a chicken enchilada, but with crêpes, duh.  The sauce is lovely and loaded with flavor.  Even though it has heavy cream, using broth lightens the sauce.  I like this sauce a lot.  I use it with some frequency.  Sometimes I use no broth and a combination of whole milk and heavy cream, but for this I wanted to lighten the sauce, because I wanted the richness of the cheese to shine through.

I used leftover broasted supermarket chicken.  I love those babies.  They are so good fresh, but they offer all sorts of lovely leftover possibilities and this is a great option.  The addition of avocado to the filling, which will be heated, adds a very nice creaminess to the overall texture.

It’s pretty simple.  Béchamel Sauce with Cumin, Lime Zest, & Lime Juice for Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream SauceThis is a béchamel sauce.  You can find detailed directions here.  Filling for Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream SauceThe filling is just tossed together, Filling for Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream Saucethen bound together with just a small amount of the sauce.  You just want the mixture to hold together.  Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream SauceYou’ll need about 1/3 cup of filling per crêpe.  Simply spread the mixture along the bottom edge of the crêpe, then roll it up.  Cilantro-Lime Cream SaucePut 1/3 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish and place the rolled and filled crêpes snuggled up tight.  You can do this a few hours ahead, cover and chill.  About 30 minutes before you want to devour these enchiladas, Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream Saucecover them with sauce and sprinkle on the additional cheese.  I use quite a bit of cheese.  Pop the dish in the oven and Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream Sauce25 minutes later, dinner is served.  Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream SauceWe like these served with sour cream, diced avocado and salsa.  I use a peach or mango salsa.  The fruit adds a nice balance.

For our gluten-free (or non gluten-free) friends, you can make the sauce, add the filling ingredients, using only 1 cup of the cheese and serve over rice…still yummy.

Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream Sauce

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Moderately Easy
  • Print

Cilantro-Lime Cream Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour (or 5 teaspoons rice flour)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon grated lime zest (about 1/2 of a lime)
  • 2-3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon guajillo or chipotle chile flakes (optional, but really good)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup cilantro leaves, very coarsely chopped

Enchiladas Crêpes:

  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (leftover supermarket chickens are perfect)
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2 avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup sliced scallions, including some of the green part
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced canned green chile (about 1 whole chile)
  • Large pinch of kosher salt and pepper
  • 2 cups Mexican blend grated cheese
  • 8 (6-inch) crêpes (or tortillas)
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa or Pico de Gallo
  • Diced avocado

For the Sauce:  Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add broth, whisk until thickened, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add heavy cream, lime zest and juice. Whisk and cook for 2 minutes; the sauce should thicken slightly more.  This is a thinner sauce. Remove from the heat source; add the remaining ingredients and set aside.

To Make the Filled Crêpes:  Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Mix together the chicken, corn, avocado, scallions, 1 cup of grated cheese, salt and pepper.  Add 1/4 cup of the sauce and toss to combine.  Divide filling between crêpes, and roll them up like a cigar.  Pour 3 tablespoons of the sauce in baking dish. Place enchiladas in the dish, seam side down. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the crêpes.  Bake for 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Serve hot!

If desired, serve with sour cream Pico de Gallo and diced avocado on the side.

NOTE:  If you can’t wait to bake these, you can nuke individual portions.  Heat each filled crêpe (I fold them into half moons), drizzled with 2 tablespoons of sauce, and some cheese for 2 minutes on MED (Level 5) in my microwave.  You want the mixture to be hot, and the cheese to melt (it will not brown).  I still prefer the oven, but sometimes you just can’t wait, can you?  This mixture can be made into a gluten-free entrée by combining the filling ingredients with the sauce (use the rice flour) and serving the mixture over rice.  It’s delicious either way.

Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream Sauce Recipe©Marcia Lahens 2017.  All rights reserved.

Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream SauceI wanted to try these, but I wasn’t ready to bake the pan.  So, I decided to see what would happen if I nuked them.  Chicken Enchilada Crêpes with Cilantro-Lime Cream SauceIt works.  I think they’re better baked, but you know, if you need to eat fast.  If you need to eat now.  They are still delicious.

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