Creamy Turkey and Rice Soup

We enjoy brining and roasting turkey for Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving since my hubby isn't a huge fan of ham and grilling steak for 6 people isn't as cheap as turkey. The only problem is using up the abundance of leftover turkey. There's only so many dishes that you can throw together, oh so I used to think. I came up with this recipe a few months ago and it has continued to be a big hit with our family. It's an inexpensive meal and my kids usually eat one and sometimes even two helpings without a fuss, which is always great.

Crockpot Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup

I had Chicken Noodle Soup on the menu for the night but that just didn't sound as good to me as Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup, so I changed the menu. Here is what I came up with on the fly (and it was quite delicious if you ask me or Miss S, who ate 3 helpings).

Chicken Pot Pie

I've made Chicken Pot Pie several different ways since we got married.  I like to take all the leftover bits from different meals throughout the week and throw them together for a flavorful and simple dish. I also have several different crust options.

Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce

The hubby (and all our kids) LOVES TexMex food so I try to do a "South of the Border" style meal every couple of weeks. Tonight, I settled on chicken (actually turkey) enchiladas but I wanted something that included green chiles. This is a modified recipe of what I found.

• 8 burrito size wheat tortillas
• 12-16 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken/turkey, shredded
• 3/4 cup minced onion
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion about 3 minutes, add chicken/turkey till warm. 
3. Divide meat mixture and 8 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese among the tortillas. Roll up each tortilla and place seam side down in a greased 9x13 baking pan.
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan with and 1/4 cup of broth over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until mixture begins to boil. Slowly add the remaining broth, stirring with a whisk until thickened. Mix in the sour cream and chiles, heat thoroughly but do not boil, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture over the enchiladas.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Top with remaining Monterey Jack cheese and bake for 5 more minutes. Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro.

You can also do this in the crockpot (see pictures below). However, I find it easier to just make this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge till I'm ready to bake it. The recipe also freezes nicely (unbaked) for a nice go to meal when you don't feel like cooking but don't want to shell out the $$ for a dinner out. 

Place about 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom, then top with enchiladas.

Cover with remaining sauce.

Top with cheese. Cook on low for 2-3 hours.