Chicken Enchiladas With Creamy Tomatillo Sauce Recipes

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, sugar, salt, cumin and ⅓ cup water; bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until tomatillos are softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and purée until completely smooth. Set aside.
• Place the chicken tenderloins in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Toss with tongs until the chicken is evenly coated with the spice blend.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick sauté pan until shimmering but not smoking. Add the chicken and cook until just done, about 2 minutes per side; transfer to a plate to cool. Do not rinse the pan. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite-sized pieces. (All tenderloins have a tough tendon running through them; just remove it.) Add the shredded chicken to the pan with the onions, along with the chopped cilantro and shredded cheese.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Spread ¾ cup of the tomatillo sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
• Pour the oil into a small bowl or ramekin. Using a pastry brush (or your hands), brush both sides of each tortilla with oil, then stack them on a plate and microwave until hot and steamy, 1½ - 2 minutes. This makes them pliable.
• Spoon about ⅓ cup of the filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll each tortilla tightly and place side by side in the baking dish, seam side down.
• Pour the remaining chili sauce over the top, and use the back of a spoon to spread evenly over each tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese down the center of the enchiladas. Bake until hot and bubbling, 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle the smoked paprika down the center of the enchiladas and serve immediately with sour cream, lettuce, avocado and lime wedges. (The nutritional information below does not include the sour cream, romaine lettuce or avocado used to top the enchiladas.)
• Note: If you touch the seeds of the jalapeño pepper, just be sure to wash your hands well and avoid touching your eyes.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked enchiladas can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost them in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat, covered in foil, in a 325°F oven until hot.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH CREAMY TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Position a rack as close to the broiler as possible and heat the broiler. Arrange the tomatillos, fresh chiles (if using), onion slices, and garlic in a small, shallow baking pan. Broil, turning to ensure even cooking, until the tomatillos are soft and slightly blackened, about 10 minutes. Transfer the broiled ingredients to a blender and add the cilantro (if you're using a canned chipotle, add it now, too). Blend until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillo mixture and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of the broth and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Taste the sauce. It should be a little tart, but it shouldn't make your mouth pucker. If it's too tart, add more broth and simmer until the sauce thickens again. Remove from the heat and whisk in the crème fraîche or heavy cream and the salt. Let cool slightly before making the enchiladas.
• Make Ahead Tips.
• The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month.
• Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add the chicken thighs and a bit of salt; simmer until cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes. Cool the meat; shred (discarding any fat or gristle), season with salt, and set aside.
• Fill a large skillet with enough oil to submerge a tortilla (between 1/4 and 1/2 inch). Warm the oil over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles immediately. Fry each tortilla briefly in the oil, about 10 seconds per side. Use a spatula rather than tongs to flip the tortillas, as they'll tear easily. The tortilla should stay soft; if it starts to harden, it has been in the oil too long. Drain on paper towels.
• Heat the oven to 400°F With a pastry brush, spread a thin layer of sauce on both sides of each tortilla. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of shredded chicken just off center of each tortilla and roll into loose cylinders. Set the enchiladas side by side in a 9x13 inch baking dish, pour the remaining sauce over them, top with the cheeses, and bake until bublling and browned in spots, 15 to 20 minutes.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE (ENCHILADAS VERDES)

Steps:

• Season chicken with adobo. Place chicken, onion, garlic in saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and let chicken cook in broth. Shred chicken meat, approximately 4 cups. Mix with sour cream.
• Put chilies in saucepan with enough water to cover, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. In batches, puree chilies, tomatillos, garlic, onion and cilantro in blender until smooth.
• In skillet on medium-high heat, heat oil until it starts to smoke. Add tomatillo sauce and cook, stirring constantly. When sauce begins to bubble, lower heat and cook for 5 minutes until noticeably darker and thicker. Season sauce with Adobo. There should be about 3 cups of sauce. If needed, stir in chicken broth.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Using your fingers, dip each tortilla briefly in sauce, covering both sides. Place on plate, spread on large spoonful of filling and roll up. Place seem side down in baking dish and repeat for each enchilada. Cover with remaining sauce, cover with foil and heat in oven for 10 minutes or until enchiladas are heated through. Top with sour cream, onions and cheese. Serve immediately.

TOMATILLO ENCHILADA SAUCE

Steps:

• Put tomatillos and serrano peppers in a large stockpot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil until tomatillos are an army green color, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• Combine tomatillo-pepper mixture, onions, and garlic in a blender, working in batches if necessary. Puree until smooth.
• Transfer puree to a large pot. Add chicken broth, brown sugar, cilantro, salt, and cumin; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced and thickened, about 45 minutes.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the sauce, husk the tomatillos and rinse under warm water to remove stickiness and dirt. Broil on foil baking sheet 1 to 2 inches from heat, turning once. till soft and slightly charred, about 7 - 9 mintues.
• Heat oil in large skillet over med. heat. Add onions and saute about 5 minutes.
• Transfer tomatillos to a blender and add the sauteed onions, cilantro, green chilies, cumin, sugar and salt; puree till smooth.
• Return tomatillo sauce to skillet and cook over med. heat till thickened about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add the broth and cream and continue cooking till the sauce is slightly thickened and not watery, about 5 - 8 minute Add more salt if desired.
• To make enchiladas, brush both sides with oil and lay on cookie sheet in stacks of two. Heat in 375 over just until soft and pliable, about 3 minutes.
• In large bowl, combine the chicken, half of the cheddar. half of the monterey jack, the chopped onion and the salt. Add 1/2 cup of the sauce to the chicken mixture and toss to combine.
• Spread a third of the remaining sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Place 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place seam down in the dish. Repeat with the other tortillas. Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining jack and cheddar cheese on top of the casserole.
• Bake the casserole until the enchiladas are heated through and the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown, about 20 - 30 minutes.