Mely Martínez’s Enchiladas Verdes (Green Enchiladas)
These enchiladas are filled with chicken, bathed in a creamy salsa verde and covered with cheese, before being baked in the oven.
Serves4
Prep15 minutes
Cook45 minutes
These enchiladas are filled with chicken, bathed in a creamy salsa verde, and covered with cheese, before being baked in the oven. The melted Swiss cheese on top is what sets these enchiladas apart from others, which are usually garnished with crumbled cheeses. A beautiful and decadent dish, these enchiladas verdes are also known in Mexico by the name enchiladas Suizas, meaning Swiss enchiladas.
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Enchiladas Verdes (Green Enchiladas)
These enchiladas are filled with chicken, bathed in a creamy salsa verde and covered with cheese, before being baked in the oven.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 45 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 12 ounces
tomatillos (about 8 medium), husks removed
- 2
serrano peppers or 1 jalapeño pepper
- 1 clover
garlic
- 1/8
medium white onion
- 4 cups
(1 quart) water
- 1/2 cup
Mexican crema or sour cream
- 1/2 cup
chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons
vegetable oil, for frying
- 12
corn tortillas
- 2 cups
cooked and shredded chicken
Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon
onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon
garlic powder
- 1 cup
shredded Swiss cheese
Garnishing and to Serve:
- 1/2
medium red onion, thinly sliced
Chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
Place the tomatillos, peppers, garlic, onion, and water in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer for about 15 minutes, until the tomatillos are cooked. Allow the ingredients to cool, then remove them from the saucepan using a slotted spoon and place them in the blender, along with 1 cup of the cooking water. Blend until smooth. Add the Mexican crema and the cilantro to the blender, and blend again until all ingredients are a uniform texture. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Using a pair of kitchen tongs, dip the tortillas, one at a time, into the oil to soften them. They only need to be in the oil for a few seconds per side (aside from softening them for easy rolling, this prevents the tortillas from breaking apart). Transfer the tortillas to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, and onion and garlic powders. Spread about a third of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x11-inch baking dish.
To assemble the enchiladas, place some chicken on a tortilla, close to one edge, and roll it up to form an enchilada. Place the enchilada, seam side down, in the baking dish. Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas and chicken, until the baking dish is filled with a layer of the rolled enchiladas. Cover the enchiladas with the rest of the sauce, then sprinkle on the cheese. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese starts to turn golden brown.
Garnish with the sliced onion and the cilantro, and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
• Some people like to add a roasted poblano pepper to the sauce.
• To save time, use store-bought rotisserie chicken to make this dish.
• Instead of passing the tortillas through the oil, you can brush them with oil, then warm them in a skillet. This method uses less oil.
• Instead of Swiss cheese, youcan use Muenster or Monterey Jack, or any combination of these. You can also use sliced cheese instead of shredded cheese.
• Serve the enchiladas with Mexican crema or sour cream, drizzling it over the enchiladas to cool down the spiciness of the salsa.
• The enchiladas can be prepared ahead of time, covered tightly, and stored in the refrigerator for 2 days until you’re ready to bake them in step 4. Just make sure that you use a good-quality tortilla that won’t break apart in the sauce.
Reprinted with permission from The Mexican Home Kitchen: Traditional Home-Style Recipes That Capture the Flavors and Memories of Mexico by Mely Martínez, 2020. Published by Rock Point, an imprint of The Quarto Group.