Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce {Enchiladas Verdes}
Found a fantastic and super easy recipe for tomatillo sauce which fit right into my plan. I’ve been wanting to make ‘Red’ Enchilada Sauce which we LOVE…but with an abundance of tomatillos in my fridge…green was the more practical approach. So Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce it is.
Recipe inspiration…..got up Saturday morning and cleaned out & organized the fridge. Check! As I think you can imagine, we tend to end up with open jars & containers, half used produce, and an assortment of must have ingredients. Once again….yes dear, I am admitting this :) However, in my defense sometimes one of these open jars or leftover recipe items spawns a recipe inspiration. Just this weekend, 4 open jars of olives & such turned into Olive & Sundried Tomato Tapenade.
Point #1 ~ We’ve been craving Enchiladas. Point #2 ~ After my Green Bloody Mary post I ended up with way too many tomatillos. Point #3 ~ Tortillas, corn or flour, are just so adaptable we’ve been keeping them on hand. Point #4 ~ the one protein we typically keep well stocked in the freezer are boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Eating from the Fridge/Pantry tonight. Check!
The Tomatillo Sauce is what makes these Enchiladas unique. I love cooking with tomatillos because all you have to do is remove their papery husks and they’re ready to go, no peeling or seeding. I found a super easy recipe on the Williams-Sonama website from Savoring Mexico, and have adapted it to create our Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce. The tomatillos and serrano peppers are boiled until fork tender and then processed with garlic in a blender until smooth. The sauce is finished in a skillet fry with canola oil and seasoned generously with salt.
Recipe Note: My taste kitchen tester…that’s not a typo…just said “that green one way exceeded exptectations.”
Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce {Enchiladas Verdes}
Ingredients
For the chicken...
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 small onion sliced
- 2 jalapenos diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp. ground oregano
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
For the sauce...
- 1 1/2 lbs. tomatillos skins removed and rinsed
- 4 serrano chilies whole
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 2 Tbl. canola oil
- 1-2 tsp. sea salt to taste
For the tortillas
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 7-8 corn tortillas
For the toppings...
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
- fresh cilantro leaves
- fine diced red onion
Instructions
For the chicken...
- Place the chicken breasts in a small-medium sized Crockpot.
- Top with sliced onion, jalapeno, garlic and seasonings.
- Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours until chicken shreds easily with a fork.
For the sauce...
- Combine the tomatillos and chilies in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
- Boil over med-high heat and cook until fork tender, 10 - 15 minutes.
- Drain and place into a blender with garlic.
- Process until a smooth sauce forms.
- In a saute pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil to the smoking point.
- Then quickly and carefully add the tomatillo sauce and fry stirring constantly until the sauce begins to bubble.
- Reduce heat to low and cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Add 1 tsp. salt and taste, add additional salt to taste.
- When the sauce is combined with the tortillas and chicken the salt flavor will diminish. It should be highly seasoned at this point.
Assembly...
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- To make the enchiladas, heat canola oil in skillet until sizzling. Using tongs, quickly pass each tortilla through the oil to soften, then drain on paper towels.
- Using your fingers, dip each tortilla briefly in the warm sauce, place on a plate.
- Put a large spoonful of shredded chicken near one edge and roll up the tortilla.
- Place, seam side down, in a baking dish.
- Cover with remaining sauce.
- Bake until thoroughly heated, about 10 minutes.
- Serve enchiladas on individual warmed plates with a dollop of sour cream, crumbled queso fresco cheese, and a sprinkling of diced red onion & fresh cilantro leaves.
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6 Comments
Sandi A New York Foodie
this looks great….I never made anything with tomatillos and my supermarket doesn’t carry them but your enchiladas look delicious!
Delmy
Sandy, u can buy the sauce In the super market, just add fresh cilantro, and prep accordingly to the above recipe!
Enjoy! :)
Bethany
Beautiful dish!!