Stuffed Bell Peppers: Chicken Enchilida

J and I made stuffed bell peppers today.  Deliciouso!

We stuffed them with brown rice, black beans, chicken, diced chile peppers, and enchilada sauce.  We topped it off with my favorite cheese.  Below is a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce that I tried.  It's a great alternative to canned sauces that are laden with salt.  I prefer to make my own tomato sauce, too (if possible).

1 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons flour

1 15 ounce cans of tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups lower sodium chicken broth

3/4 teaspoons garlic powder

3/4 teaspoons onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons cumin

Step by step

1. In a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add chili powder and flour whisking constantly to combine. Mixture will be a thick paste (roux).
2. Slowly add in a small amount of tomato sauce whisking until the roux has dissolved. If you don't whisk, it will end up a lumpy mess! Once the roux is combined, add the rest of the tomato sauce and chicken broth. Whisk to combine.
3. Add in the rest of the spices, stir to combine.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and use in your enchilada recipe, or cool and divide into containers for storage.
6. Can be refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for 3 months.