Chicken Enchiladas w/ Tomatillo Salsa (Enchiladas Verde)
Serves 4
Ingredients
Tomatillo Salsa (makes 2 cups)
- 12 tomatillos, husked
- 1½ cups water
- 1 cup reserved liquid from cooked tomatillos
- 4 chopped serrano peppers, stems removed
- ½ medium white onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4-5 cilantro sprigs
- 2 tbsp safflower oil
- pinch of salt or to taste (optional)
- pinch of sugar or to taste (optional)
Chicken Filling (makes 3 cups & fills 12 enchiladas)
- 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ cup chopped white onion
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 medium tomatoes, roasted & chopped (Roma tomatoes used in this recipe)
- 3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 2 tbsp adobo sauce (from the chipotle chile can)
- ⅓ cup reserved liquid from cooked chicken
- pinch of salt or to taste
- pinch of pepper or to taste
For Assembly
- 6 tbsp vegetable oil
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Muenster or Monterey Jack cheese
Garnish (optional)
- Salvadoran crema (or sour cream)
- chopped fresh parsley
- crumbled panela or Monterrey Jack cheese
Equipment
- blender
- small skillet
- tongs
How-to
Make Salsa
- Cover tomatillos with water in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until soft and faded, 8-10 minutes
- Transfer tomatillos and 1 cup of the cooking liquid to a blender. Add onion, garlic, serrano peppers and cilantro and purée to a smooth consistency
- Heat oil in a skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Carefully add purée to the pot (mixture will sizzle and splatter!) and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring continuously
- Adjust seasonings with salt and/or sugar if necessary. Keep warm while preparing filling or reheat when ready to assemble the enchiladas
Prepare Filing
- Bring a pot of water to a boil
- Add chicken and boil for 15-20 minutes over high heat
- Remove chicken, reserve ⅓ cup of the cooking liquid, and set chicken aside until cool enough to handle, then shred the meat and set aside
- Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly until onions are wilted and transparent, about 1-2 minutes
- Add tomatoes, chiles and adobo sauce. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until all moisture has been absorbed and the mixture is dry, about 2-3 minutes
- Stir in shredded chicken and the reserved cooking liquid. Cook another 3-4 minutes, until chicken is heated through
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep hot or reheat to assemble the enchiladas
Note: The chicken filling can also be used for tacos, quesadillas or tostadas
Build, Bake & Garnish
- Preheat oven to 350º
- In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. (Make sure the oil is hot enough, or the tortillas will absorb too much oil and be greasy)
- Using tongs, dip each tortilla into the hot oil for about 10-15 seconds, or until softened. Drain on paper towels
- Lay each tortilla flat and put 3-4 tbsp of hot filling down the center of the tortilla and roll it into a tube
- Serve 3 enchiladas (per serving) on an oven-safe plate (or place all 12 in a casserole) and cover with the salsa
- Bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with crumbled cheese, sour cream and chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately (or the enchiladas will get soggy)