Chicken Enchiladas
Why I Love This Recipe
"Although my family is Cuban, I went to school in Arizona and my favorite food is Mexican food (shhh!), especially chicken enchiladas (green). I love cooking Mexican food, especially for company, and so have served this dish to many friends over the years. It reminds me of the wonderful friends I made in grad school in Arizona over dishes like this one and the new friends I made in South Florida in the years since..." -Dr. Diana Formoso
Ingredients You'll Need
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb tomatillos (papery skins removed and chopped)
1 vidalia or sweet onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped (or roasted over an open flame with thin skin removed)
2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
kosher salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup chicken broth (for lighter version) or 1/4 cup heavy cream (for richer version)
2 large chicken breasts, poached
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack (for mild version) or pepper jack (for spicier version) cheese
8 (6") corn tortillas
Directions
If cooking your own chicken, cook in slow cooker for four hours on high with one cup water, two pinches of salt, and two garlic cloves. Alternately, you can poach the chicken on the stovetop.
Prepare the vegetables: (Optional) Roast the pepper, steam for five minutes in a ziploc bag, remove papery skin and chop.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatillos, onion, poblano, serrano peppers, garlic, cumin, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until vegetables are tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
Transfer to a blender or food processer, add the broth or cream, and puree.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, 1 c. cheese, 1/2 c. tomatillo sauce, and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper.
Toast both sides of the tortillas over a gas flame or in a nonstick pan.
Spread one cup of remaining sauce in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Roll the chicken mixture in the tortillas and place them in the dish, seam side down.
Top with remaining sauce, being sure to cover the corners, and with cheese.
Bake until beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
Let stand five minutes before serving.
