Making spicy enchiladas verdes is actually very easy, and of course they are absolutely addictive. I love Mexican food and frankly love both red sauce and green sauce enchiladas. But this one is my husband’s favorite, so it’s a regular at our house. This recipe is published during the time of COVID-19 Shelter in Place orders, and while there are only 2 of us at home, this is the perfect thing to last several meals. And they freeze well also, so think about freezing meal portions in separate containers so you can enjoy them when the craving strikes you.
Total time: 90 minutes
Active time: 45 minutes
Makes 8-10 enchiladas
Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa:
8-10 tomatillos, husked
1 white onion, peeled, quartered
4 peeled, whole garlic cloves
2 jalapenos (or serranos if you like it hotter)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 lime, juiced
Enchiladas:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Meat from half a cooked chicken (you can cook chicken yourself or use store-bought roasted chicken)Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8-10 large flour tortillas
1/4 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/4 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 medium white onion diced
Garnishes: sour cream, scallions, white onion, cilantro, chopped tomato, hot sauce (use as many or as few as you like)
First, make the salsa. Preheat the oven on Broil, with the rack a few inches below the broiler element. Put the tomatillos, jalapeños, garlic and quartered onion on a cookie sheet or baking tray, and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. I recommend using your hands or a spatula to make sure the veggies are coated with the oil relatively evenly. Cook until the tops are showing black spots, then turn over until the same happens on the other side. The tomatillos should start to leak some juice. Watch the garlic cloves, since they burn more easily….you may need to remove them early.
Put all the ingredients (the broiled veggies and any juice on the baking sheet, the cumin, salt, cilantro and lime) in a blender or food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Set aside.
Make the filling: In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook 4-5 minutes until translucent (but not brown). Add the cumin and sprinkle the 1/4 cup flour over the onions. Stir 3-4 minutes to coat the onions evenly and cook the flour (do not let it brown/burn). Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring constantly, and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Turn off the heat, add half of the reserved salsa and stir well. Add the chicken and cilantro and mix well.
Assemble the enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9×14 baking dish, put enough reserved salsa to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. When the filling has cooled slightly, make the enchiladas. Put a flour tortilla on a flat surface and coat one side with a bit of the reserved salsa (meter it out though…you want enough to put some over the top of the enchiladas once assembled). Turn over the tortilla, and scoop about 1/2 cup of filling into the middle. Sprinkle with some of the grated cheeses and some white onion. Roll and put seam side down in the baking pan. Do this for as many enchiladas as will fit in your baking dish. Usually 8, or 10 if you can put two along the long side of the dish, perpendicular to the others. If you have leftover filling, simply spread it across the top, and put all remaining salsa on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and onions. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and top is a bit brown.
Serve your spicy enchiladas verde immediately with sour cream, scallions, white onion, cilantro and tomatoes as your garnishes. And don’t forget the hot sauce! Enjoy!
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