Enchilada Verdes

An enchilada is a popular Mexican dish. It is one of the most popular dishes that could be bought from a street vendor in Mexico. Hence, it is popularly known as "simple street food". Enchilada is pronounced as "ehn-chee-lah-thahs". The term "enchilada" simply means " dipped in chili". Mexican restaurants worldwide cater enchiladas with different kinds of filling.
Originally, an enchilada is made from a tortilla dipped in chili sauce and stuffed with cheese and beans or chicken and beef, sometimes with spinach. Today, there are different versions of enchiladas served in the Mexican restaurants around the world.
The enchiladas you eat from a street vendor in Mexico are quite different from the ones you must have eaten in a Mexican restaurant outside Mexico. The enchiladas you get outside Mexico are tortillas stuffed with fillings of your choice swimming in red sauce and molten cheese. These enchiladas are limp and are not crunchy.
Enchiladas Suizas was first introduced in a restaurant called Sanborn’s in Mexico City. "Suizas" means Swiss. This is so called because the dish uses a lot of cheese and cream. It is a tribute to the Swiss cuisine.
I guess you could say my recipe is a combination of a each of these.

Enchilada Verdes:



4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups water
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
3 fresh poblano chilies
1 fresh jalapeno pepper
6 tomatillos, husks removed and cleaned
1 white onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon majoram
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of white pepper
pinch of thyme
5 tablespoons poblano sour cream (you may sub regular if you cannot find this)
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 oz enchilado cheese - sliced
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1.Place the chicken breasts, garlic, onion, water, and chicken bouillon into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 40 minutes. When finished, remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Measure out 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and discard the rest.
2.Roast tomatillos, onion, garlic in foil bag with oil underneath broiler until softened (about 20 minutes). Place them into blender with oregano, majoram, salt, cloves, white pepper, thyme and set a side. Roast the poblano chiles & jalapeno underneath a broiler until the skin has blackened on all sides. Place the chiles into a plastic bag, or a bowl covered with plastic wrap, and allow to steam as they cool, about 30 minutes. When cool, peel the blackened skin off of the pepper, and remove the seeds and membrane.
3.Add reserved chicken broth into a blender along with the roasted poblanos, jalapenos and sour cream. Puree until smooth and set aside.



4.Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the tortillas one at a time until softened and beginning to crisp. Place onto a plate and set aside. Pour the pureed poblano mixture into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes. While the sauce is cooking, slice the cooled chicken breasts into 1/4 inch strips.
5.Using tongs, dip a tortilla into the sauce, coating both sides. Place some of the chicken and enchilado cheese in the center of the tortilla, roll tightly, then place on a serving dish with the seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spoon any remaining sauce over top of the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese.


Enjoy!!