Shrimp Enchiladas with Sour Cream Cheese Sauce

 This meal may not look like much in the pictures but that's only because I am convinced that enchiladas are one of the most difficult things to photograph. I know my awful pictures are probably on initial glance going to leave you wondering: "What is that gigantic plate of slop she feels the need to share with us?" But hear me out, these enchiladas are super tasty and irresistible.

The filling is comprised of shrimp cooked with bell pepper, onion, garlic, and spice and then tossed with a creamy, dreamy, can't-stop-taking-samples-from-the-pot, sour cream-cheese sauce. After the tortillas have been filled with the shrimp mixture, the remaining cheese sauce is poured over the top and the entire pan is baked until browned and bubbly.

Sinful? Quite. Rich? Just a tad. Worth the splurge? Oh yes.

We served this up with a simple green salad tossed with a Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette as well as a side of Cilantro-Lime Rice. We are a bit obsessed with the cilantro-and-lime combination.

During dinner, Paul and I were amazed at how much of the meal Emma kept scarfing down. She inhaled plateful after plateful of enchiladas and rice and, when she noticed her plate was empty, begged us for more. After about her fourth helping, she finally decided she was full. When we extracted her from her high chair to clean her up, we realized that most of the rice had actually been dumped down the front and inside of her shirt. She is a dainty little thing.

If you are looking from for a break from your typical enchilada recipe MAKE THESE. They are so, so good!

Shrimp Enchiladas with Sour Cream Cheese Sauce
adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

For the Shrimp Filling:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced finely
1/2 cup white onion, diced finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice

For the Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup salsa verde
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (do not use pre-shredded cheese!)
1 cup sour cream

To Finish:
10-12 (8-inch) flour tortillas (or corn tortillas if that is your preference!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13 glass Pyrex pan.

To make the shrimp filling, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the red bell pepper and onion and saute until slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook until very fragrant. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp just begin to turn pink. Since they will be cooking some more in the oven, we do not want to overcook the shrimp too much at this stage!
Remove mixture from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add the salt, chili powder, cilantro, and lime. Stir and set aside.

In a large saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk/cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth while whisking continuously. Continue to cook/whisk for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken. When it coats the back of a spoon, remove from heat. Add the Monterey Jack cheese in batches, whisking well to melt. Stir in the salsa verde and sour cream.

Add 1 cup of the sauce to the shrimp filling and stir well.

Fill a tortilla with about 1/3 cup of the shrimp mixture. Roll the tortilla tightly and place it seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas and then transfer the pan to the oven. Bake (uncovered) for 30-40 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let the enchiladas sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with Cilantro-Lime rice, salad, and some extra salsa verde on the side.