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Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
48 mins
 

Chicken enchiladas have such a bright and invigorating taste when paired with a verde sauce. Roasted tomatillos, serrano peppers, onion and garlic set the stage for the enchilada sauce. The tomatillo sauce is adapted from Rick Bayless, More Mexican Everyday, Roasted Tomatillo Sauce. 

There are some specialty ingredients in this recipe. You can find tomatillos at well stocked grocery stores, Asian produce markets, or Mexican markets. The dried spices like epazote and Mexican oregano you can find at Mexican markets or on line. Epazote has a unique flavor that cannot be matched. If you cannot find epazote, add one bay leaf to the sauce then remove it before you assemble the enchiladas. 

Bake the enchiladas in one large baking dish or individual dishes large enough to hold 2 enchiladas. 

Best eaten right out of the oven. 

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 5
Author: Ginger
Ingredients
Tomatillo Sauce
  • 1 lb. tomatillos
  • 4-5 garlic cloves peel intact
  • 2 serrano chilies or half a poblano pepper for a mild sauce
  • 1 white onion sliced across the equator in ½ in thick rings
  • ¾ tsp Kosher Salt
Chicken Enchiladas
  • 1 poblano chili pepper charred, peeled, seeds removed and chopped
  • 1 white onion divided
  • 2 cups (500 ml) Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
  • 1 ½ cup (375 ml) chicken stock
  • 1 tsp dried Mexican Oregano
  • 1 tsp dried crumbled epazote
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • Shy 3 cups shredded chicken
  • Handful of cilantro
  • 10 corn tortillas
  • Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese grated
  • ½ cup (125 ml) Crème fraiche
Instructions
Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
  1. Turn the boiler up high and place the oven rack at the top position.  

    Take the poblano pepper in the chicken filling section and slice it in half lengthwise then remove the seeds. Arrange the halves on a rimmed sheet pan then add the peeled tomatillos, serrano chilies, garlic cloves, and slice onions rings for the sauce in an even layer. If you want to save some time arrange the onions slices for the garnish (half an onion) on the baking sheet with the onion for the tomatillo sauce. 

  2. Slide the sheet pan under the broiler and roast the vegetables until they get nice and charred. Check after 4 minutes and continue if the vegetables need more charring. Each vegetable will brown at different speeds, so you will have to adjust the timing for each one. Once they get browned turn them over and brown the other side. This can take from 8 -15 minutes. If the onions need more time than the other vegetables, remove the browned vegetables and place the tomatillos in the bowl of a blender or food processor and chilies and garlic cloves on a cutting board. Pour off any juices in the pan into the bowl of a blender or food processor. Set aside and continue to brown the onions if needed. Remove when done.

  3. Place the poblano chili halves in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it steam for 15 minutes.

  4. When the Serrano chilies and garlic are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin from the garlic cloves and place the roasted garlic in the bowl with the tomatillos.

  5. Cut off the stem of the serrano chilies and slice down the middle. Remove some of the seeds and pith if you want to turn down the heat., or leave them be. Add the serrano peppers to the tomatillos and blend, or process, the vegetables until smooth. Makes about 2 cups (500 ml). 

Chicken Enchiladas
  1. Pre heat the oven to 400 °F (200°C / Gas Mark 5) with the oven rack set in the middle position.

  2. Heat a 10-inch (25.5 cm) skillet with 2 TB olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cups (500 ml) roasted tomatillo purée to the skillet and simmer until it slightly thickens. Add the chicken stock and Mexican oregano, epazote, ground coriander, and Kosher salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Simmer the sauce on low,  stirring occasionally until ready to assemble the enchiladas.

  3. Meanwhile, remove the poblano halves from the bowl and peel off the skin. Quickly rinse under cold water to remove stubborn skin. Chop the poblano into ½ inch pieces.

  4. If you have not done so already, slice the onion in half across the equator, slice one half into rings and set aside. Chop the remaining half in ½ inch pieces.

  5. In another skillet heat up 2 TB of vegetable oil and add the chopped onion and poblano pepper. Cook until the onions are soft. Add the shredded chicken and ½ cup chicken stock. Stir to mix. Cook until the liquid evaporates and the chicken is warm. Add about 2 TB of chopped cilantro and stir to mix.

  6. Heat up the tortillas. Place the tortillas in a zip lock bag and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Make sue the bag is not closed all the way. Remove the tortillas from the microwave and let the tortillas rest in the plastic bag for a minute.

Assemble the enchiladas.
  1. Set aside a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan. Place a tortilla on a work surface and add 2 spoonfuls of the chicken mixture across the center of the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla to cover the chicken filling. Place the rolled-up tortilla in the baking dish. Continue to fill and roll up the tortillas. You should have enough chicken filling for 10 enchiladas. It will be a tight fit in the baking dish. If you have a small baking dish, perfect for two enchiladas, add the last two enchiladas to a separate dish, otherwise fit the last two enchiladas to one side of the row of enchiladas.

  2. Completely cover the enchiladas with the tomatillo sauce and sprinkle grated cheese down the middle of the enchiladas.
  3. Place in the oven and cook until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 5-8 minutes.
  4. If you haven’t roasted the onions for garnish already, heat up a skillet until almost smoking. Add the onion slices, intact, to the skillet and dry roast the onions until browned. After a couple of minutes check to see if the onions have browned, then turn over to brown the other side. When done, remove from the skillet.

  5. Serve immediately with crème fraiche and garnish with the browned onions and cilantro.