enchiladas

Mexican Green Enchiladas

Enchiladas Suizas

As Santiago Pirez Velasco, from Cuernavaca, Mexico, taught Lindsay Sterling in Portland, Maine.

Notes: There are dozens of kinds of enchiladas with different sauces and fillings. Red enchiladas are made with ground red chili peppers and/or tomato. This green variety is is made instead with poblano and serrano chilis and tomatillos. Santiago said that he thought that “Suizas” in the name of this dish refers to immigrants from Switzerland who liked to add milk and cheese products to Mexican enchiladas.
Cooking Time:
1 hour
Makes:
4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. raw chicken (bone in for best flavor)

  • 1/4 onion

  • 3 garlic cloves

  • 4 cups chicken broth (divided in to 3 cups and 1 cup)

  • 1 poblano chili

  • 8 tomatillos, papery skins removed

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup cream cheese

  • 1-2 serrano chilis

  • 3 Tbsp Canola, peanut, or corn oil (for frying)

  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

  • 12-18 corn tortillas

Instructions

  1. Boil chicken in 3 cups chicken stock and water if needed to cover chicken until cooked and tender. Drain and let cool. Remove skin and bones and pull chicken meet into strips.

  2. Preheat oven to 425.

  3. Blister poblano skin on all sides in broiler or over gas flame. Once black all over, cover in a bowl with plastic wrap so the pepper steams, helping the skin come off. Peel off the charred skin, cut the pepper in half, and remove seeds. Discard the skin and seeds.

  4. Blend the poblano, tomatillos, sour cream, cream cheese, and serrano chilis in blender until smooth.

  5. Cook the chili and cream mixture in a sauce pan for about 15 minutes on medium heat until sauce thickens slightly and begins sticking to sides. Turn off heat, cover and let sit.

  6. Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet on medium heat. When shimmering, add tortillas one at a time to soften. Let tortillas cool slightly then roll chicken inside of each and line the rolls up, seam side down, in a baking dish. Bake the stuffed tortillas until the tortillas are crispy.

  7. Pour sauce over the enchiladas, top with grated cheese, and broil until melted and slightly toasted.