Recipe Index

Mexican | Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Posted on March 20, 2014

We loved these! We had them two nights in a row!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

chicken enchiladas with tomatillo sauce

Ingredients

1 pound (about 3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic, slightly crushed

2 onions, halved

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

2 cups Tomatillo Sauce

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

black pepper

12 fresh corn tortillas

cilantro springs for garnish

1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese

1 cup Mexican crema (or sour cream)

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

 

Method

Poach the chicken: Combine the chicken breasts, garlic, 1 onion, bay leaves, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the chicken and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to a simmer and cook for 35 minutes. To check for doneness, slit the chicken in half to make sure the interior is no longer pink; the juices should run clear.

Allow the chicken to cool in the broth (this will keep it moist). When it is cool enough to handle, shred the chicken by hand by pulling apart the fibers of the chicken with your fingers.

Sauté the onion: Slice the remaining onion. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until it becomes limp and translucent.

Toss the chicken with the onion and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Prepare the tortillas and assemble the enchiladas: To build the enchiladas, you will need to create a three-part assembly line made up of two sauté pans and the bowl containing the shredded chicken and onion. You will also need to have an empty plate and the serving platter on hand.

First, heat the remaining 1/3 cup oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Next, pour the tomatillo sauce into the other sauté pan and place over medium heat.

Now the assembly line: Working with one tortilla at a time, dip a tortilla in the oil and allow to fry for 15 seconds on each side. Transfer the lightly fried tortilla to the saucepan holding the tomatillo sauce and coat well with the sauce. Transfer to the empty plate, place about 1/4 cup of the shredded chicken in the center, and roll. Place the enchilada on a serving platter seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Once you have finished assembling the enchiladas, pour any remaining tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas and top with sprigs of cilantro and crumbled queso fresco. Serve with Mexican crema and shredded lettuce alongside.

 

(Ref. "Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce" recipe, Simply Mexican, page 54.)