Archive for the ‘* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving’ Category
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream White Sauce
August 18, 2016 Lee
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Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream White Sauce

I like enchiladas, and these chicken enchiladas sounds great in this white sauce. Keep in mind, unless making the flour tortillas yourself, this is not a cheap meal. On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 10 flour tortillas
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 cup sour cream, OR make from a shortcut
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
  • 3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, OR Edam cheese, shredded
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 6 green chilies, diced

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C, lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter, set aside.
  • Combine the chicken with 1 cup of cheese. Use the this mixture to fill each of the 10 tortillas, roll each tortilla and place seam side down in the baking dish. Set aside.
  • Melt the butter in a sauce pan over low heat, then stir flour into butter and whisk for 1 minute. Then add stock and whisk together. Cook over medium heat until it’s thick and bubbles up, remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Let this cool a bit or the next step will curdle.
  • Once the butter mixture has cooled, add the sour cream (or a substitute) and the diced chilies. Pour this over the enchiladas and add the remaining 2 cups of cheese over the top. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, then you may want to broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheese. Serve. Beans on the side would be perfect.

Notes

Figure about 60 Baht for the chicken, if you cook it then you have the stock, win win. The cheese, Edam, would be 180 per 250 grams, go with 1 to 1 1/2 blocks (or if you like cheese, 2 blocks), the tortillas are not cheap, about 250 to 280 Baht per package of 10. This cost per serving for 8 servings is about $2.47. Not a cheap meal, but would be good for a once in a while a meal.
Shortcut: Sour Cream.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Anchovy & Garlic Pasta
August 10, 2016 Lee
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Anchovy & Garlic Pasta

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Lot of room for changes as you see fit. This can be a main dish or a very nice side dish. I made this last night on 14 Aug 2016, very nice flavor but nothing to write home about. I made this again on 1 Nov 2016 and modified the recipe to reflect new findings, less oil and used Fettuccine pasta, much much better.
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tin anchovy fillets, in olive oil, this is a 47 to 55 gram tin
  • 6 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 3-4 spirals Fettuccine pasta
  • ground black pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley, chopped, optional
  • Parmesan cheese, grated, optional

Instructions
 

  • Fettuccine that I buy, and all brands that I have seen here, the pasta is in little spirals in the package. I normally use 3-4 spirals for 2-3 servings. This is a 250 gram pack that has 6 spirals, this is imported from Italy and is surprisingly low cost. One spiral is about 40 grams.
  • Cook pasta in a pot of boiling water until just tender, about 5 minutes, drain well, and set aside.
  • Heat a heavy non-stick skillet over low heat, add the garlic and open the tin of anchovies and dump the contents into the pan, season with black pepper to your liking, use a spatula to break up the anchovies a bit most will basically melt into the olive oil and cook until garlic just begins to color, 3-5 minutes.
  • Add the pasta and mix to coat the pasta well and heat through, remove from heat. This is 2 spirals of pasta used.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if desired. A green salad on the side would be good with this.

Notes

The anchovies cost me 125 Baht per 47 gram tin. For 2 servings, this is about $1.84 per serving. The cost is due to imported anchovies. Overall not a bad price for a once in a while meal.
Variants: 1. Add sliced spring onions, fresh chopped basil, diced tomatoes, sliced mushrooms such as Shiitake or King Oyster. 2. Add cubed cooked chicken, Italian sausage, etc. 3. Use spaghetti noodles or Soba noodles.
Updated on 12 October 2024.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,PASTA
Irish Bacon, Sausage, Onion & Potato Dish
July 31, 2016 Lee
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Irish Bacon, Sausage, Onion & Potato Dish

Not sure if this is Irish but it sounds good and hearty. For this you will need a large oven proof pot with a lid or foil to cover. To make this in a slow cooker, cut the ingredients in half and cook on High setting for 4 hours.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine European
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 kilo potatoes, washed and cut into large pieces
  • 2 onions, peeled and thickly sliced
  • 500 grams sausage, spicy smoked sausage, bangers, or brats would work
  • 500 grams bacon
  • 2 1/8 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon beef stock powder
  • 3-4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Use hot water from your hot water pot and dissolve the beef powder in a sauce pan.
  • Grill or broil the sausage and bacon to color them, do not over cook or dry them out, drain on paper towels. When drained, cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces, cut the sausage into large pieces.
  • Preheat your oven to 150 C. Using large oven proof pot, layer the ingredients in this order: onion, bacon, sausage, potatoes. Season each layer with pepper and parsley. Repeat until all the ingredients are used.
  • Heat the water with beef stock in it to boil, then pour this into the large pot and cover with a lid or foil. Place the pot in the oven and cook for at least 3 hours (4 to 5 hours does not hurt either). At the 2 hour point, check the liquid level in the point, you want about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot at all times. Serve, liquid at the bottom is your gravy.

Notes

The sausage, spicy smoked sausage runs about 125 Baht/500 grams, English Bangers, pork or beef will run about 100 Baht/500 grams. Brats will run about 180 Baht/500 grams. Bacon will cost about 200 to 280 Baht/500 grams. Using Bangers, this comes out to about $1.88 per serving for 6 servings. Over all, not a bad cost for a hearty meal.
To cook this in a slow cooker, cut the ingredients in half and cook on High setting for 4 hours.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,Beef - Slow Cooker,Pork - Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Ravioli Casserole
July 31, 2016 Lee
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Slow Cooker Ravioli Casserole

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This can be made from ground beef, pork, or chicken. Sounds good, but being a cheese dish, this is not a cheap meal but does sound very good indeed. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 750 grams ground beef, or minced pork ground chicken, (1½ lb)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1¾ cups tomato sauce, Shortcut
  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, slightly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, Shortcut
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 300 grams spinach, frozen, thawed and drained, or fresh (10 oz)
  • 500 grams bowtie pasta, or any bitesize pasta, (8 oz)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1½ cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Brown ground meat in a non stick pan along with the onion and garlic, when browned (not needed to be cooked through) pour into your slow cooker, and add tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes with juice, and seasonings. Cover and cook on Low setting for 5 hours.
  • Add the pasta, spinach, and cheeses and mix well, top with an additional ½ cup of Mozzarella to melt onto the top, cover cook on High setting for another 30 minutes, serve.

Notes

750 grams of beef would be about 125 to 150 Baht, pork would be about 80 Baht, chicken would be less. Cheese, however, is the major cost. Figure about 140 Baht for Parmesan, and about 180 Baht for the Mozzarella. This comes out to about (using beef), for 6 servings, to about $2.45 per serving, pork would be about $1.97 per serving. Chicken would be less. Over all, not bad, chicken would be a good choice when friends or family visits.
Shortcut: Tomato Sauce.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,Casseroles - Slow Cooker
Chicken Meatballs in Parmesan Cream Sauce
July 31, 2016 Lee
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Chicken Meatballs in Parmesan Cream Sauce

These sound really good! A must try for me. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs

  • 500 grams ground chicken
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 onion, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, OR make from a shortcut on this site
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved

Additional Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 teaspoons flour
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock, fresh or made from powder
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, OR make from a shortcut on this site
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • prepared pasta or mashed potatoes, to serve with

Instructions
 

  • Combine all of the meatball ingredients into a mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix or just a large spoon, do not over mix.
  • Wet hands with some water and roll out meatball mixture into balls, make about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, like golf ball size.
  • Brown meatballs on all sides in large non stick pan over medium-high heat in olive oil. You may have to do this in batches. Remove the meatballs when browned, place on a plate and set aside.
  • Using the same pan, fry the onion and garlic until soft, then sprinkle with flour, stir, and cook a few minutes more. Then whisk in the chicken stock until no lumps remain, then whisk in the heavy cream or milk.
  • Turn heat down to low. Sauce should barely be simmering. Stir in 3/4 of a cup of Parmesan cheese and a good pinch of black pepper. Check for seasoning. Add salt if it needed. Place the meatballs into the simmering sauce and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and sauce has thickened.
  • Serve over pasta of your choice or mashed or boiled potatoes.

Notes

Chicken will cost about 32 Baht/500 grams. The Parmesan cheese however, will cost about 280+ Baht for grated, solid cheese you need to shave, even more. This comes to about $2.30 per serving for 4 servings. Costly but would be a good once a month meal.
Shortcuts: Breadcrumbs, Heavy Cream.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,MEATBALLS
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
July 29, 2016 Lee
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Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Sounds good but I have modified this before even making it based on some basic cooking skills. Sounds good and I will try this. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

Pot Roast

  • 1 1/2 kilos boneless chuck roast, OR any cut of beef for people out in villages
  • olive oil
  • 500 grams carrots, no need to peel, just wash and cut into large pieces
  • 1 kilo potatoes, no need to peel, just wash and cut into large pieces
  • 1 onion, peeled and cut into large pieces
  • 1-2 stalks celery, import type, cut into large pieces, optional
  • 1 cup beef stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch, to make the gravy with

Seasoning Mix

  • 2 tablespoons steak seasoning, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, OR 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary

Instructions
 

  • Combine the Seasoning mix in a bowl and set aside.
  • Coat both sides of meat with olive oil. Sprinkle on a third of the seasoning mix onto each side. Sear both sides of the meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer roast to slow cooker.
  • Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle on a little olive oil to coat vegetables. Sprinkle on the remaining seasoning mix. Pour these over the roast. Pour the beef stock in.
  • Cover and cook on Low setting for 9 hours or High setting for 5-6 hours.
  • Spoon out most of the cooking juices from the slow cooker, either remove the roast or use a baster. Transfer juices to a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat on the stove. Whisk together the cornstarch with a little water. Blend into the pan juices while whisking continuously. Bring back to a simmer until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  • Place the roast on a serving dish, spoon on the vegetables, ladle the gravy over, serve. Just that easy.

Notes

Beef can run 250 Baht/kilo. Everything else is low cost. For 4 servings this is about $2.75 per serving, and for 6 servings, about $1.85 per serving. Not a cheap meal but a great meal for visiting friends or family and great as a once a month meal. You may very well get fresh beef in a village for as low as 150 Baht/kilo, which I have seen, and I buy right then and make a roast.
Shortcut: Steak Seasoning.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Mike Early.
United States.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,Beef - Slow Cooker
Crock Pot Style Gyros I
July 26, 2016 Lee
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Crock Pot Style Gyros I

I have never figured out how to say this, is it "Hero" or "Gyro" or "Year O". Either way, this sounds good. This is not traditional by any means as lamb is not used, but you are free to use that if you wish. This can be pork, beef, pork and beef, chicken, chicken and beef, chicken and pork. The original recipe stated beef and turkey, turkey is costly but feel free to use that if you wish. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mixed
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

Meat

  • 500 grams ground beef, OR minced pork
  • 500 grams ground chicken
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves galic, smashed and chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Greek seasoning, OR make from a shortcut on this site

Sauce

  • 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Greek seasoning, OR make from a shortcut on this site
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

To serve

  • flour or corn tortillas
  • lettuce, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Place onion and garlic into your slow cooker. Mix together meat and Greek seasoning. Form into two small loaves and place on top of onions and garlic. Cook on Low setting for 4-5 hours or until done, use of a meat thermometer would be a bonus here.
  • While the slow cooker is started, prepare your sauce. Just mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until the meat is done.
  • When the meat is done, carefully lift this out of the pot and place on a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes.
  • Slice the meat thin and serve on tortillas with shredded lettuce and the sauce. Enjoy.

Notes

Ground beef will run about 100 Baht (that is a guess since I do not have that here), minced pork would be about 60 Baht/500 grams, and chicken about 40 Baht/500 grams (another guess). The costly item is the flour tortillas, store bought is about 230 Baht for a pack of 10 (I need to learn how to make these!) Using the beef price and the tortillas, and figuring 6 servings, this is about $1.60 per serving, it goes down with pork, and chicken, and if using chicken only (which sounds really good) this would be under $1 per serving.
Shortcut: Greek Seasoning.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,Beef - Slow Cooker,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Chicken White Chili Mac & Cheese
July 24, 2016 Lee
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Chicken White Chili Mac & Cheese

Ok, I found the original recipe on the internet, and it was horrendous at best! And a totally misleading name. This is my rewrite, when I make this, I will update the recipe and make my report when I make this, it does sound good. This takes some time as noted in the first step.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 1 whole chicken, remove the head and feet and remove the giblets
  • 1 onion, leave skin on and just cut in half
  • 10 cloves garlic, just smash and leave skins on

For the Pasta

  • 500 grams spaghetti
  • 250 grams Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup chicken stock, you just made that, strain out the onion and garlic
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cans whole peeled tomatoes, diced and juice reserved (can use fresh but you need tomato juice)
  • 1-2 green chilies, diced
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms, King Osyter or Shiitaki would be perfect
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

For the Chicken

  • Place whole chicken in large pot, add the onion, garlic and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 40 to 60 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and let the chicken and stock cool to room temperature. Remove chicken from pot, reserving stock, discard the onion and garlic. Skin and bone chicken, set the skin and bones aside for your dog. Lightly shred the meat with forks or roughly chop. Set meat aside.

For the Pasta

  • In a slow cooker, add the onion, chilies, garlic, bell pepper, mushrooms, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste, to your slow cooker. Then add chicken, diced tomatoes AND juice, cheese, and chicken stock. Cover and cook on Low setting for 3 hours.
  • Before the 3 hours is up, cook your pasta in the chicken stock if you like or just water, then stir in cooked pasta before serving.

Notes

One whole chicken will run between 200 and 250 Baht. The cheese is one block for 180 Baht. This comes out to about $1.60 per serving for 8 servings. Not bad but high for what I would call a regular meal. The good thing is you have chicken stock for your next recipe.
Heavily modified from a internet recipe.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
July 23, 2016 Lee
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Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

This sounds like a wonderful meal, but does take some time, this recipe will take you through cooking a whole chicken, making the sauce, and baking.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Shredded Chicken and Broth

  • 1 whole chicken, remove the head and feet and remove the giblets
  • 1 onion, leave skin on and just cut in half
  • 7 cloves garlic, just smash and leave skins on
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary

For the Sauce

  • 110 grams butter
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 400 grams fresh button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine, OR use chicken broth you just made
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth, this is from the chicken you just cooked
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine, OR use chicken broth you just made
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus additional for the topping
  • 1 cup pitted black olives, sliced
  • 500 grams spaghetti, broken in half

Instructions
 

For the Shredded Chicken and Broth

  • In a big pot, place a chicken that had been cleaned. Add the halved onion (no need to remove the skin) as well as about 7 cloves of smashed garlic (also no need to remove the skin) and a sprig or two of rosemary. Simmer this for about 40 minutes.
  • At the end of 40 minutes, you should have an aromatic broth and a chicken that is completely cooked through. Discard the onion, garlic and rosemary and place the chicken in a bowl to cool. Once the chicken has cooled, remove the skin and bones and shred the meat. Set this aside. (For juicier chicken, let the chicken cool while in the pot, then remove it to debone.)

For the Sauce

  • In a large skillet, add some butter and olive oil. Saute the onions until they became soft and slightly translucent. Add the minced garlic, stir for about 30 seconds then add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms have softened a little, add the white wine (or stock) and continue cooking the mushrooms until almost all the water has evaporated. Set this aside.
  • Bring the broth back to boil and cook the broken spaghetti for 10 minutes (3 minutes less than the time stated on the pack). Once cooked, drain the spaghetti (reserve the stock) and set it aside.
  • Now for the fun part. In a large skillet, add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the flour. With a hand whisk, whisk the flour to allow the flour to cook through. Then add the stock, then the milk, whisking all the while. Then add the wine (or stock), and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Leave the sauce to cook and thicken. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Stir continuously until all the cheese has melted. Then add the mushrooms and chicken to the sauce and mix. Then add the spaghetti. Mix well.
  • Transfer the spaghetti and sauce to a 9Ă—13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes, or until the top has turned a delicious shade of golden brown.
  • Scatter some chopped parsley on the spaghetti casserole if desired. Serve it with a salad or warm crusty chunks of garlic bread. Or just enjoy a as it is.

Notes

A whole chicken costs between 200 and 250 Baht depending on where you get it from. The 1 cup of Parmesan will run about 200 Baht. Using the high end of the chicken at 250 Baht, this comes out to about $1.65 per serving for 8 servings. Not an overly expensive meal.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,CASSEROLES
Chicken Chimichangas in 30 Minutes
July 22, 2016 Lee
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Chicken Chimichangas in 30 Minutes

Adapted from an internet recipe.
I am a fan of Mexican food, and when I lived in San Diego for 6 years, I never had a Chimichanga, it sounds like a cross between a Enchilada and a Burrito. And this does sound tasty! Not a cheap meal. Just from reading the recipe, I would increase everything to make some "fuller" chimichangas. I will report when I make this. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Servings 3 servings

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken, this can be breast, thighs, up to you, shredded or cubed
  • 1 cup salsa, Shortcut
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • 6 flour tortillas, 8 inch size
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Toppings

  • diced tomatoes
  • sour cream
  • guacamole
  • salsa, Shortcut
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 200° C (390° F). Get out a 9x13 inch baking pan.
  • Mix the chicken, salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese, and onions. Place about â…“ cup of the mixture in the center of each tortilla.
  • Fold opposite sides over filling. Roll up from bottom and place seam-side down on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Brush with melted butter. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
  • Serve with toppings of your choice. A side of beans and rice would be perfect here.

Notes

Chicken is the minimal part here, tortillas will be pricey, to the tune of about 280 Baht for a pack of 10. Two of these items per serving, not including cheese is about $2.75 per serving, if you make the tortillas, bonus, if you make the salsa, bonus, but over all, not an inexpensive meal, this would be a once a month or when relatives and family visits meal. Either way, it does sound really good.
Shortcut: Salsa.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,TEX-MEX, sort of