Enchiladas Verde

Guanajuato Chef's Note:

Authentic recipe for enchiladas verde learned in a Mexican home kitchen in Guanajuato, Mexico. The salsa can also be used for dip, for chilaquiles, or thinned with broth and used as a base for pozole verde. This recipe is light and delicate with a well-defined mix of flavors. If you're not used to authentic Mexican enchiladas, these are not as gooey as those found in the US, but quite flavorful and easier to make. Plan on serving them immediately after assembly--they do NOT go into the oven!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-6

Yield: 12.0 enchila ...

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (Leftover turkey also works well.)
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, halved
• 1/2 medium onion, quartered
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
• 20 medium tomatillos
• 1/2 medium onion, quartered
• 2 -3 garlic cloves
• 3 serrano chilies, seeds, stem and ribs removed (more if you want more heat)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (one large bunch)
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
• 12 white corn tortillas (or up to 16)
• 1 cup queso fresco (Mexican style cheese) or 1 cup queso anejo (Mexican style cheese)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (Mexican style is thicker than whipping cream) or 1/2 cup creme fraiche or 1/2 cup sour cream thinned with milk or 1/2 cup cream
• 1 cup lettuce, shredded
• 1/2 cup tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaf (to garnish)

Directions:

1. Place the chicken breast in a pot of water with 1/2 onion and 2-3 garlic cloves. Season with a little salt and/or a small amount of powdered chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is thoroughly cooked and shreds easily. Keep warm once cooked.
2. Remove the outer husk from tomatillos, wash and place in a large pot of water with the serrano chiles. Bring to a boil and cook just until tomatillos change color to a dull olive green--no more than 5-10 minutes.
3. Puree the tomatillos in a blender, adding the serrano chiles, and remaining garlic and onion. Add the cilantro and pulse until well blended. Pour into a saucepot, taste for seasonings, and add about a tablespoon of chicken bouillon powder if needed. Heat thoroughly, but do not overcook.
4. Remove chicken from water, place it on a cutting board and using two forks or your fingers, shred finely along the natural grain lines of the meat. Keep warm in a bowl, and add a few drops of cooking water if needed to keep it moist.
5. Heat tortillas on a griddle or in the microwave. Spread about a tablespoon of sauce on a tortilla, add enough chicken to fill it, roll up the tortilla and place seam side down on the serving platter or individual dinner plates. Repeat, placing enchiladas close together. Pour sauce over the enchiladas, and garnish with a few tablespoons of cream, some shredded cheese, the lettuce, tomato and cilantro. (Unlike enchiladas north of the border, these do not go into the oven--they are served immediately upon making.).
6. Extra sauce can be used in other recipes.

Reviews

[Muffin Goddess]

We really liked this recipe a lot. It felt like they were so much easier to make than my usual enchilada recipe, and they were definitely better for us because they weren't buried in piles of cheese. I had quite a bit of cooked shredded chicken in the fridge already, so I didn't use the poached chicken part of this recipe, but everything else was as written. The salsa verde was really good, too -- I had around 2 cups left over, so maybe I'll make some bistec en salsa verde with it. We'll definitely be enjoying these again. Thanks for posting! Made for PAC Spring 09