ISO: Atkins menu Spinach enchilada recipe from TGI Friday's

[Yummys_Girl]

Hi all!

Once again, I am here asking all you wonderful members for help on locating a copycat recipe.

Tonight we went to TGI Friday's and I had a dish off thier Atkins low carb menu. The dish I had was called Salsa Verda chicken and Spinach enchilada.

I am hoping one of you has been there and had this, and has a copycat recipe for the spinach and cheese enchilda. It had some kind of cheese based sauce drizzled on top.

The whole meal was wonderdul! Usually I don't care for things with spinach in them as the main ingredient, but I REALLY liked this! I have a salsa verde chicken recipe though, so I am just looking for a recipe for the spinach and cheese enchilda. Does anyone have recipe for one that tastes like the one at TGI Friday's on the Atkins menu there? Complete with the sauce that is drizzled on it, if possible.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Yummy, that sounds delicious! I'd love to know too!

[cat lover]

I've been doing a search, but haven't found TGI Friday's recipe yet. I have found several others if you would like me to post them, maybe you would know if one of them are near what you are looking for; just let me know!

[Yummys_Girl]

sure it would be great if you could post them. Surely one will be close to the one at Friday's

[cat lover]

Here are three of them; if none of these seem to fit the bill let me know and I'll do another search!



Creamy Spinach Enchilada's

10 low Carb Crepes
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
6 green onions, chopped, divided
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded, divided
10 ounce can green enchilada sauce

In medium bowl, mix spinach, 3 green onions, ricotta and sour cream. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in half the Monterey jack; blend well. Divide filling mixture among the crepes. Spread slightly down center of each one, then roll up. Place seam-side down in greased 9x13" baking dish. Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 375º 20 minutes, or until hot, bubbly and slightly browned. Sprinkle remaining green onions over the top.

Makes 10 servings

This one is from allrecipes.com

Spinach Enchiladas
Yields: 5 servings

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10 ounce) package frozen
chopped spinach , thawed,
drained and squeezed dry
1 cup ricotta cheese 1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Monterey
Jack cheese
10 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 (19 ounce) can enchilada
sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; cook for a few minutes until fragrant, but not brown. Stir in spinach, and cook for about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat, and mix in ricotta cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese.
3. In a skillet over medium heat, warm tortillas one at a time until flexible, about 15 seconds. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the spinach mixture onto the center of each tortilla. Roll up, and place seam side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cup of Monterey Jack.
4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until sauce is bubbling and cheese is lightly browned at the edges.



Spinach Enchiladas Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse



Yield: 6 servings




4 Poblano chile peppers, about 1 pound
4 pounds fresh spinach, stems removed and well rinsed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 4 tablespoons
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup cubed queso fresco or queso blanco
1 cup cubed Pepper Jack, plus 1 cup grated
1 cup grated cotija or Parmesan
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
Refried Beans, recipe follows
Mexican Rice, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Roast the peppers by placing them on an open gas flame, turning them frequently with tongs until all sides are charred black, about 7 to 10 minutes. (Alternately, the peppers can be roasted under a broiler, or on top of a gas or charcoal grill.) Place the blackened peppers in a plastic or paper bag, and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, split in half lengthwise, and discard the seeds and the stems. Roughly chop and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In 3 batches, add the spinach and blanch for 15 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and shock in an ice bath. Remove and squeeze out the excess. Chop and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until very soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 45 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the flour and cook, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon, to make a light roux, 2 minutes. Gradually add the half-and-half, and cook, stirring, until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach and stir to incorporate. Remove from the heat and fold in half of the chopped chiles. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Fold in the cubed queso fresco and both Pepper Jacks, and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the grated Pepper Jack and cotija. Set aside.
In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium temperature. One at a time, add the tortillas to the hot oil and cook, turning, until soft and pliable, 15 seconds per side, adding more oil as needed. Remove from the pan and place on a work surface. Place about 1/2 cup of the spinach mixture into the center of each tortilla and roll up into a cylinder. Place, seam side down, in a single layer across the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish.
In a saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour and cook, stirring constantly with a heavy wooden spoon, to make a light roux. Slowly add the chicken stock and cook, stirring, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and cook, stirring, until thick, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining poblano peppers and cook for 1 minute. Pour over the filled enchiladas and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover evenly with the grated cheeses. Return to the oven and bake until the cheeses are melted and bubbly and the enchiladas are completely warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Do you know if the enchalda sauce is Atkins approved or low-carb on that first recipe? That first one looks like a possibility for Atkins approved. I've never had TGI Friday's dish, so I don't know if it is close. The second two I don't would be out though as far as being Atkins approved.

Yummy, can you describe what those dishes are like? What all is in them?

[cat lover]

I don't know if they are "atkins" approved, I just did a search for low carb; haven't had any of these three myself.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Thank you.

[Yummys_Girl]

The chicken tasted like it was marinated in something. It had a little cheese on it if I remember right. The cheese was not mozarella, but another white cheese like provolone or soemthing. I couldnt tell by the taste since I am not a big cheese afficianodo. =P It also had tomatoes and green chiles or peppers on top.

The enchilada was in a low carb wrap and was stuffed with the same white cheese and spinach and then drizzled with a cheddar or monteray jack types chees that was mized with something creamy and white... like yogurt, sour cream, or cream cheese. I think it had tomatoes on it too and maybe green chilis or peppers.

I don't know if this helps, but its the best I can remember. I wonder if they will tell me what is in it, if I ask the next time I go there?

[cat lover]

Some restaurants are happy to share and others aren't so if you get us please post it. Really have me wanting to know now! LOL

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Yummy, yes it does help. If the white cheese had a fairly strong flavor, it could have been several cheeses. I wish we had a TGI Friday's so that I could investigate. lol It does sound really yummy (no pun intended) and if you do get a chance, please ask. I wonder if we played around with the recipe, we could get something good? I haven't seen a recipe anywhere.

[Yummys_Girl]

The cheese flavor wasnt overly strong. Wish I knew what kind it was. I'd like to experiement and try.

And I'll be sure and ask the next time I go

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Yummy, I made some chicken enchiladas last night. It really needs some work as it was a bit too dry. But, here is what I did.

I deboned a roasted chicken and placed the meat in a bowl. I added a large container of ricotta cheese, 1 small can of chopped green chilis, roasted garlic, salt and pepper. After mixing well, I scooped the meat mixture into low-carb tortillas, rolled them up, and placed them in a greased baking dish. Then, in a bowl I added a small container (should have used a large) of sour cream and mixed it with enough cream to make it gravy-like. You could add milk if you prefer. I added a mixture of grated mozzerella and provalone to it and spread it over the enchaladas. I then sprinkled a little more cheese on top of that. When they are done baking in an oven for 350 degrees, you could sprinkle them with either Pico de Gallo or diced tomatoes.

I thought it could be more moist. You can take it from here if you want. But, they were good.

[Yummys_Girl]

Those sound good, I will have to try them! I lovee chicken enchiladas!

Here is a chicken enchilada recipe I made in the past and it was very good. Perhaps you could add your garlic and other things you like and try this one to see if it seems any less dry for you.

I made this for the family and everyone liked it very well. Even my mother, who is not a big chicken fan
Chicken Enchiladashttp://diabetes.sd.gov/_themes/doh-standard-2/aeclrule.gif1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups chopped, cooked, skinless, chicken breast
12 8-inch low carb tortillas
1 10 3/4 oz. can reduced fat, reduced
sodium condensed cream of chicken soup
8 ounces low-fat sour cream
1 cup skim milk
1 4 ounce can chopped green chilies
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
In a small skillet sauté onion in oil. In a mixing bowl stir together cream cheese, water, cumin, black pepper and salt. Stir in cooked onion and chicken into cream cheese mixture. Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until softened. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and place seam side down on a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

To make sauce, combine soup, sour cream, milk, and green chilies; pour over enchiladas. Bake the enchiladas covered in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle the enchiladas with cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 12 enchiladas.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Yummy, that is similar to the recipe that I posted somewhere here at MM. But, mine isn't low-carb or Atkin's approved. I am trying to make one that is Atkin's approved that is like this recipe at TGI Friday's.

Before we are done, they'll be several delicious chicken enchalada recipes! lol

[Yummys_Girl]

yes surely if we put our heads together we can do it. ALthough I dont know much about the Atkins diet actually.

We need spinach in it to make it low carb like the one at Friday's. But if chicken is in it, it will taste good too. =P

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Yummy, you are going to think I am so retarded! lol I do not know why I was thinking you had "chicken" instead of "spinach." lol We don't have a TGI Friday's, so that doesn't help my visual. lol

Yummy, I know that the Atkin's diet is strict and it counts carbs. The first week of the diet is the strictest and all that. So, the easiest way to go is to find and/or make things that has been approved by their diet plan. That is why TGI Friday's has Atkin's in the name of their product so that their guests will know what the carb count is in the dish.

So, next time, I will make it with spinach and no chicken. lol I'll have to make it next week sometime.

[Yummys_Girl]

That is why I posted the chicken enchilad recipe. Since you mentioned the one you made, I thought you just wanted it with chicken. LOL

I know the meal with the two chicken breasts and the spinach and cheese enchilada had 16 carbs in the whole meal if that helps. And it was way to omuch for anyone who eats small portions for dieting. I only ate one chicken breast and a half of the spinach enchilada.

[mrscobbler]

I will ask my neighbor about what is in them and how to make them. He has been the kitchen manager at TGIFriday's for 22 years.

[cat lover]

Welcome to MomsMenu mrscobbler! Drop over to the Welcome thread at the following link so evryone can get to know you! Hope to see you around here and share recipes with you!



http://www.momsmenu.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252&page=12

[Yummys_Girl]

Thanks Mrscobbler! That would be great!

And welcome to the forums!

[mrscobbler]

Thanks for the welcome!!

I spoke to my neighbor, Michael and here is what he said.

The salsa is premade and he believes it has green chilies in it. He said that regular salsa would be just as good. They cook the chicken in olive oil and the spinach is actually their spinach dip wrapped in a flour tortilla. They use a mexican blend of cheese and the sour cream has their buffalo wing sauce in it.

Boy, does that sound good!!!

[cat lover]

Wow that does sound good! Yummys Girl is going to be thrilled, thanks!

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Does the FGI Friday's Atkins Spinach Enchalada have chicken in it? It does sound delicious. I keep the low-carb tortillas around all the time as well as the sour cream. The rest are easy to obtain.

[Yummys_Girl]

Awesome Mrs Cobbler, thanks!

I beleive I seen some copycat recipes somewhere for the spinach dip and possibly the buffalo sauce. I'm about to go out for a bit but I'll look around when I get back and post them if I find them.

We WILL have this, DeBora!

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Yummy, please tell us if you find a good recipe! Let us know if you find any good recipes!

[Yummys_Girl]

Here is the copycat recipe I found for the spinach dip. I'm not sure the enchilada I had has artichoke hearts in it or not.

TGI FRiday's Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (cubed)
1 to 2 Teaspoons minced garlic
1 package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of its juices
1 (14 oz) can of artichoke hearts, chopped (can also use frozen)&(thawed)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Place in shallow casserole dish (http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/145/TGI_Fridays_Spinach_Dip14853.shtml#). You can either bake the dip for about 15-20 minutes at 325 F ..but I have also found that you can just heat it in the microwave for a few minutes.

Maybe Mrscobbler could find out for us if it has artichoke hearts in it? I've never had artichoke hearts that I know of so I really cannot say if there were any in it or not. LOL

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Thanks! That is very similar to the one that I have and plan on making for my tapas party.

[cat lover]

Here is the copycat recipe I found for the spinach dip. I'm not sure the enchilada I had has artichoke hearts in it or not.

TGI FRiday's Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (cubed)
1 to 2 Teaspoons minced garlic
1 package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of its juices
1 (14 oz) can of artichoke hearts, chopped (can also use frozen)&(thawed)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Place in shallow casserole dish (http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/145/TGI_Fridays_Spinach_Dip14853.shtml#). You can either bake the dip for about 15-20 minutes at 325 F ..but I have also found that you can just heat it in the microwave for a few minutes.

Maybe Mrscobbler could find out for us if it has artichoke hearts in it? I've never had artichoke hearts that I know of so I really cannot say if there were any in it or not. LOL


Sounds good!