Chicken Chilaquiles

One of my favorite dishes that Mom makes is her Chicken Chilaquiles (or, as mom calls them, Chicken Chicalayas.) I'm sure they're far from traditional chilaquiles, but they're still delicious. They come from Mom's favorite cookbook, but she changes the recipe up a bit depending on the audience, adjusting the spice.

Tonight she made it for us, Granma, and Tiff and her boyfriend, so it was a bit milder.

Chicken Chilaquiles
serves 6

5 tablespoons paprika
4 tablespoons chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 1/2 tablespoons oil
4 1/2 tablespoons flour
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 lb tortilla chips
6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (a little more than a cup)
1 cup sour cream
1 red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup cilantro leaves

In a small bowl, combine the paprika, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, sugar, and 3/8 teaspoon (half) of the salt.

In a large saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over low-medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds; add paprika spice mixture and then slowly add broth, whisking, until smooth. Bring to simmer and cover, simmering, about 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat a spoon.

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with remaining salt and the pepper and cook until browned, about 5 to 10 minutes a side. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Slice.

Add the tortilla chips to the saucepan with the sauce and cook, stirring, until the chips are soft (but not yet falling apart), about 3-5 minutes. Put the sauce with the chips on plates, top with feta, onion, cilantro, chicken and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with remaining sour cream.