Chicken Enchiladas
This recipe guides you through making classic chicken enchiladas, featuring a vibrant tomatillo and chile sauce. Corn tortillas are lightly fried, filled with shredded chicken, rolled, then bathed in the homemade green sauce. Topped with Mexican crema and Monterey Jack cheese, these enchiladas are baked until bubbly and golden, offering a comforting and flavorful Mexican dish.
Equipment
- 1 Medium, heavy saucepan For boiling tomatillos and chiles
- 1 Blender For making the tomatillo sauce
- 1 Small skillet For frying tortillas
- 1 9x13 inch Glass Baking Dish For assembling and baking enchiladas
- 1 Tongs Helpful for flipping tortillas during frying
Ingredients
Main
- 9 tomatillos husked and rinsed
- 1/2 medium white onion
- 1 serrano chile
- 1 yellow chile guero
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves loosely packed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 6 6-inch corn tortillas
- 2 store-bought rotisserie chicken breasts skinned and shredded (to yield 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Put the tomatillos, onion, serrano, yellow chile and 3/4 cup water in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and boil until the tomatillos turn olive-green color, about 10 minutes. Transfer the tomatillos, onion and chiles to a blender. Add the garlic and cilantro and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortillas until golden but still pliable, about 10 seconds per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
- Put the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the shredded chicken evenly among the tortillas and roll up each like a cigar. Spread 1/3 cup sauce in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the enchiladas, seam-side down, in one layer snugly inside the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
- Drizzle with the Mexican crema and sprinkle the cheese all over. Bake until the cheese melts and starts to brown in spots, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
For a deeper flavor profile, consider charring the tomatillos, onion, and chiles under a broiler or on a griddle before boiling. This adds a smoky complexity to the sauce. When frying the tortillas, ensure they are pliable and not crispy; this prevents them from breaking when rolled. Drain them well to avoid greasy enchiladas. While rotisserie chicken is convenient, cooking and shredding fresh chicken breasts (perhaps poached with aromatics) will offer superior texture and flavor. For the crema, if Mexican crema isn't available, a good quality sour cream thinned slightly with a touch of milk or lime juice can be a decent substitute. Don't overcrowd the baking dish, as it can lead to uneven cooking and less desirable texture.