Cooks Illustrated Enchiladas Verdes Recipes

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH SALSA VERDE, GUACAMOLE AND LIME CREMA

Steps:

• For the enchiladas: Add the cumin seeds to a large, dry saute pan. Heat over medium-low and toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 5 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and process until finely ground.
• Season the chicken thighs liberally with kosher salt. Add the olive oil to a large, high-sided saute pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, slice into strips and set aside.
• Add the onion and a splash of beer to deglaze and release the chicken bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir to combine and cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the jalapeno and continue to cook until the onions and jalapeno are soft, another 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic, cilantro stems, sliced chicken, the remaining beer, toasted ground cumin and chipotle powder. Slice the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the pan, then drop the squeezed lime halves directly into the pan. Stir to combine and adjust seasoning with kosher salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Continue to cook until the chicken starts to pull apart and most of the liquid has cooked away but the pan still has some moisture, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the lime halves and discard.
• For the salsa verde: Preheat a cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat. Place the tomatillos and jalapeno onto the pan and roast, turning occasionally on all sides, until soft and charred, 10 minutes. Remove from the pan. Slice the jalapeno in half and remove half the seeds (or leave the seeds in if you prefer a more spicy salsa verde). Add the garlic, cilantro, roasted tomatillos and jalapeno, lime zest, lime juice, olive oil and kosher salt to taste to a blender and puree until smooth.
• For the guacamole: Combine the avocado, tomato, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, lime zest and lime juice in a bowl and mash together but leave some texture. The guacamole should be chunky.
• For the crema: Mix the crema, lime zest and lime juice together in a bowl.
• To assemble, preheat the oven to broil. Scoop 1/4 cup salsa verde into the bottom of 4 small baking dishes and use a spatula to evenly distribute. Warm the corn tortillas on the cast iron griddle over medium heat until slightly toasty and pliable. Scoop about 1/4 cup of chicken filling into each tortilla and roll. Place into the baking dish, seam-side down, and repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, using 2 tortillas per serving dish. Top each with another 1/4 cup sauce, 1/2 cup Monterey jack and the crumbled cotija. Transfer to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and melted, about 5 minutes. Serve with the guacamole and crema.

ENCHILADAS VERDES DE POLLO

Steps:

• Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Roast on the lower rack until the skin is lightly golden and the chicken is cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle.
• While the chicken is roasting, spread the tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos and onion on a second rimmed baking sheet. Roast on the top rack, tossing once or twice, until the tomatillos are tender and the jalapenos are browned and very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool.
• Once the chicken is cool, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into 1/2-inch pieces. Put into a large bowl and set aside.
• Meanwhile, char the poblanos. Turn your gas burner to high. Place 2 to 3 poblanos directly on the grate and roast, turning with tongs every 3 to 4 minutes, until the entire pepper is blackened and very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and repeat with the remaining poblanos. (Alternatively, if you have an electric stove, arrange the poblanos on a rimmed baking sheet and broil on high as close to the heat source as possible, turning occasionally, until the peppers are charred on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl.)
• Wrap the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the poblanos steam for 15 minutes to loosen their skin. When they are cool enough to handle, peel all the blackened skin from the peppers; it's ok if there are flecks of black on the flesh or if some of the green skin is difficult to peel off. Split the sides open to remove the seeds, rinsing under cold running water if needed. Transfer the cleaned peppers to a blender.
• Remove the skin from the garlic cloves and add to the blender along with the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion and any accumulated juices. Add the coriander, cumin, oregano and a 1 ½ teaspoons of salt and puree on medium-low speed until smooth. Add the cilantro and puree on low speed until the cilantro is chopped but you can still see pieces of it in the sauce. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl and generously season with salt. You should have about 5 cups.
• Toss the reserved chicken with 3/4 cup of the salsa verde in a large bowl and generously season with salt.
• Heat the remaining 1 cup oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it bubbles immediately when you touch the edge of a tortilla to the surface. Working with one at a time, fry the tortillas, turning once, until just starting to brown, about 10 seconds per side; the tortillas should still be pliable. Transfer the tortillas to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
• Dip both sides of each tortilla in salsa verde to coat, and then transfer to a large plate. Spread 1 cup of the salsa verde evenly over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken filling across the center of a tortilla. Then fold one side of the tortilla over the filling and roll up the enchilada. Place them seam-side down in the prepared baking dish as you go (they should be nestled right up against each other). Top with any remaining salsa verde.
• Wrap the dish tightly with foil and bake on the upper rack until the sauce is bubbling and the tortillas are beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the creme fraiche and milk in a small bowl. Season with salt.
• Top the enchiladas with the queso fresco, crema, cilantro leaves and onion slices. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

ENCHILADAS VERDES

Steps:

• Cover a large griddle with aluminum foil and preheat to medium-high.
• Cook the garlic, serrano peppers, and tomatillos on the hot griddle until toasted and blackened, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes for the garlic, 10 minutes for the peppers, and 15 minutes for the tomatillos. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool.
• Heat oil in a small, deep skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Using kitchen tongs, fry the tortillas individually, turning them once. They shouldn't be in the hot oil for more than 5 seconds per side. Remove excess oil with paper towels and keep warm. Remember that the hotter the oil, the less that the tortillas will absorb.
• Place the toasted garlic, serrano peppers, tomatillos, and the water in a blender and blend until smooth; pour into a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Dissolve the chicken bouillon into the mixture, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. The sauce shouldn't be too thick.
• Soak three tortillas in the sauce, one at a time, for a few seconds, fill them with shredded chicken, sprinkle the meat with some of the sauce, roll them and place them seam side down on a pasta bowl. Spoon a generous amount of sauce over them and top them with lettuce, cilantro, crema, and cotija cheese. Pour a little more sauce over the whole thing if desired. Repeat the procedure twice more. Serve immediately.

ENCHILADAS VERDES

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and salt over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in cheddar cheese; set aside., Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook and stir the soup, process cheese and milk over medium heat until cheese is melted. Stir in chilies and pimientos., In a large skillet, fry tortillas, one at a time, in oil for 5 seconds on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. , Place a scant 1/4 cup of reserved meat mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over the top. , Cover and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

AUTHENTIC ENCHILADAS VERDES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 20 minutes. Reserve broth, set chicken aside to cool, and discard onion and garlic. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with your hands.
• Place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a pot with water, enough to cover them. Bring to boil, and continue boiling until tomatillos turn a different shade of green (from bright green to a dull, army green). Strain tomatillos and chiles, and place in a blender with another quarter piece of onion, 1 clove garlic, and a pinch of salt. Pour in reserved chicken broth, so that liquid just covers the veggies in the blender by about an inch. Blend all ingredients until they are completely pureed. Pour salsa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil.
• Pour oil in a frying pan, and allow to get very hot. Slightly fry tortillas one by one in hot oil, setting each on a paper towel afterwards to soak some of the oil. Finally, dip slightly fried tortillas in low-boiling green salsa, until tortillas become soft again. Place on plates, 3 per person.
• Fill or top tortillas with shredded chicken, then extra green sauce. Top with crumbled cheese, chopped onion, and chopped cilantro.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Prepare the chicken: Place chicken parts in a large saucepan with onion, garlic and salt, and cover with water. Heat pan over high heat until liquid comes to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove chicken and let cool, reserving stock for another use. Using your fingers or two forks, shred meat from chicken and reserve, discarding skin and bones. (Alternatively, shred meat from leftover or store-bought roast chicken and set aside.)
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 375, and make the salsa verde: Combine tomatillos, onion, garlic, serranos and cilantro in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth, adding water as needed to thin it out a little. Season with salt to taste.
• Prepare the tortillas: In medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat, heat oil until it begins to shimmer. Using tongs or a wide spatula, place a tortilla in the hot fat; it should start to bubble immediately. Heat tortilla for about 10 seconds a side, until soft and lightly browned. Remove tortilla and set on a rack set over a baking pan, or just on a baking pan if you don't have a rack. Repeat with remaining tortillas, working quickly.
• Assemble the enchiladas: Use a ladle to put about 1/2 cup salsa verde in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it out a little. Roll a few tablespoons of shredded chicken into each tortilla with a teaspoon or so of salsa verde and place it seam-side down in the pan, nestling each one against the last. Ladle salsa verde over top of rolled tortillas and sprinkle with about half the crumbled cheese.
• Transfer to oven and bake until sauce bubbles and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Dot with crema, sprinkle with remaining cheese and, if using, chopped onion, then serve immediately.