Prickly Pear Enchilada Sauce

This is a Tex-Mex-like enchilada sauce that I made up to take advantage of the prickly pear fruit that is so plentiful in the fall. The sauce has a tangy, barely sweet flavor with surprising depth. The red juice makes the sauce a pleasant pink color that my kids love. Serve with rice and refried beans.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 32 mins
• Total Time: 57 mins
• Calories: 303 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 6 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ½ onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• ½ bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or to taste
• 1 prickly pear, peeled and chopped
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• 1 dash pepper sauce

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Step 2

Place prickly pear in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Mash with a potato masher to extract juice. Discard seeds and pulp.

Step 3

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until juices run clear, 5 to 8 minutes.

Step 4

Divide cooked chicken among 6 tortillas. Top with mozzarella cheese. Fold in opposing ends and roll up tortillas. Place seam-side down in a casserole dish.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and tortilla edges are crisp, about 15 minutes.

Step 6

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and salt; cook and stir until very tender, about 5 minutes. Pour in prickly pear juice, water, lemon juice, bouillon cube, cornstarch, and pepper sauce; whisk until cornstarch dissolves into the sauce.

Step 7

Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in sour cream. Simmer until flavors combine, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley. Spoon sauce over tortillas.