Enchiladas Verdes
Tender chicken rolled in warm tortillas and smothered in bright, tangy green salsa with melted cheese. A restaurant-quality Mexican classic that is simpler to make at home than you'd expect.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 528
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- ½ whole white onion
- 1 whole fresh jalapeño
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 whole lime
- 2.5 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 12 whole corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 whole lime wedges
Instructions
- 1
Place the tomatillos, onion half, and jalapeño directly on the gas flame of a burner or under the oven broiler, turning every 1–2 minutes with tongs until the skins blister and blacken all over, about 5–8 minutes total. This releases their flavor.
- 2
Transfer the blistered tomatillos, onion, and jalapeño to a blender, then add the cilantro and juice from the lime.
- 3
Blend on high speed until completely smooth and bright green, about 45 seconds, then taste and add salt and pepper until it tastes pleasantly salty and tangy.
- 4
Pour the sauce into a small bowl and stir in the sour cream until no white streaks remain, creating a creamy, pourable sauce.
- 5
Preheat the oven to 350°F and wait for the indicator light to turn off or the beep to sound, confirming the oven is fully preheated, about 10 minutes.
- 6
Pour 0.75 cups of the green sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, coating the entire surface so the tortillas won't stick.
- 7
Warm a corn tortilla directly over the same gas flame or under the broiler for 5–10 seconds per side, turning with tongs, until it becomes soft and flexible without cracking.
- 8
Lay the warm tortilla flat on a cutting board, then place a small handful of shredded chicken (about 3 tablespoons) in a line across the center of the tortilla.
- 9
Sprinkle a small pinch of shredded cheese (about 1 tablespoon) over the chicken, then roll the tortilla tightly away from you into a cylinder and place it seam-side down in the baking dish.
- 10
Repeat steps 7–9 with the remaining 11 tortillas, arranging the rolled enchiladas in rows so they fit snugly and do not unroll during baking.
- 11
Pour the remaining green sauce in an even stream over the tops of all the enchiladas, covering them completely so no tortilla is exposed and they will steam and soften.
- 12
Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the sauce until the entire surface is covered, then cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- 13
Slide the covered baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese underneath is melted.
- 14
Remove the foil carefully—steam will rise—then bake uncovered for 3–5 more minutes until the cheese on top just begins to turn light golden, about 4 minutes.
- 15
Remove the baking dish from the oven using oven mitts and let it rest on the stovetop for 2 minutes so the sauce sets and won't run when plated.
- 16
Scatter the chopped cilantro evenly over the entire surface of the enchiladas in a thin layer, then place the lime wedges on the edge of the baking dish for squeezing.
- 17
Using a large spoon, slide two enchiladas onto each plate, spooning extra sauce from the bottom of the baking dish around them so each serving is generously coated.
Tools you’ll need
- kitchen tongs
- blender
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- aluminum foil
- cutting board
- oven mitts
- large spoon
- small bowl
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