Making enchiladas completely from scratch is a masterful skill that always pays off. Unlike store bought sauces, made-from-scratch recipes ooze nuanced flavors you simply can’t get in a jar. In this recipe, the smoked, peppery taste of tomatillos and jalapeños fuses into the corn tortillas surrounding slow roasted chicken and Oaxaca cheese.
Let’s Talk History
Enchiladas come to us from the Mayans. The recipe began with corn tortillas (called tlaxcalli in pre-Spanish times) dipped in chili sauce and pumpkin seeds. The filling? Nada. Over time, however, the Mayans wisened up and realized a universal truth: it’s always better with fillings.
Previously, we dug into the history of tomatillos, a crop originally domesticated by the Aztecs. So, in a sense, you could say this is a sort of fusion recipe. While we’re not sure what the modern Aztecs and Mayans would think of the sentiment, we’re happy to celebrate them both, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Verde
Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 lbs medium-sized tomatillos, about 13-15
- ½ onion, cut into quarters
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ serrano chile
- ½ bunch cilantro, washed
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup water or broth
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 8-10 6”-8” corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella, Monterrey jack or Oaxaca cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- To make the salsa verde, wash and husk the tomatillos and place in a medium pot. Add the quartered onion, garlic cloves, and serrano pepper. Add enough water to cover the veggies by one inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium until the tomatillos change color from a bright green to an opaque army green (about 6-8 minutes). Drain immediately and transfer the cooked veggies to the blender. Add cilantro, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ cup water or broth. Blend until smooth and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Place the shredded chicken in a small bowl and pour ⅓ of the sauce on top. Mix until well incorporated and sprinkle with some salt.
- To assemble, pour ⅓ of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 oven-safe baking dish. Warm the tortillas for a few seconds in a dry pan to make them pliable. Add 1-2 tablespoons of filling to a single tortilla, roll tightly, and place it in the prepared baking dish. Complete the remaining tortillas, placing them side by side in the dish. Pour the rest of the sauce evenly over the enchiladas, sprinkle with cheese, and cover the enchiladas with foil. Bake for 10 minutes, then switch to broil and cook for 3-5 minutes. Watch them closely as they tend to burn quickly. Remove from oven when golden brown and bubbly.