Authentic Mexican Enchiladas Verdes
Description: My sister-in-law, hailing from the vibrant streets of Mexico City, graciously imparted her treasured recipe for Authentic Mexican Enchiladas Verdes. A labor of love, these enchiladas require time but promise a culinary adventure worth savoring. Designed to serve a gathering or to stock your freezer with culinary delights, this recipe yields 24 enchiladas, a testament to the abundance of flavors awaiting your palate. The sauce and filling components can be prepared in advance, ensuring a seamless cooking experience.
Cook Time: 2 hours
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Water | 3 cups |
| Onions | 2 large, plus additional slices for topping |
| Garlic cloves | 10 cloves |
| Serrano chilies | 10 |
| Fresh cilantro | 30 grams |
| Salt | 2/3 teaspoon |
| Corn tortillas | 24 |
| Creme fraiche or sour cream | 1 1/2 cups |
| Monterey Jack cheese | 4 cups |
| Vegetable oil | As needed |
Instructions:
-
Prepare the Sauce:
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil.
- Add tomatillos, 2 halved onions, 6 garlic cloves, and 7 serrano chilies.
- Simmer uncovered for approximately 30 minutes.
- Let the mixture cool slightly, then drain, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Transfer the solids to a blender or food processor.
- Add the remaining onion half, 4 garlic cloves, 3 chilies, cilantro, and about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Process until smooth.
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil and sauté onion slices until lightly browned.
- Stir in the processed sauce and season with salt.
- Simmer uncovered until slightly thickened, about 30-45 minutes. If the sauce thickens too much, thin it with the reserved cooking liquid.
-
Prepare the Filling:
- In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
- Add chicken, onion, garlic, and salt to taste.
- Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- Allow the chicken to cool, then remove it from the liquid.
- Discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat.
-
Prepare the Tortillas:
- Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook tortillas one at a time, turning once, until flexible but not crisp, about 20 seconds each.
- Drain the tortillas on a thick layer of paper towels wrapped inside a clean cloth kitchen towel or tortilla warmer to keep them soft and warm.
-
Assemble the Enchiladas:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Coat two 13×9 baking pans with vegetable oil.
- Dip each tortilla in the green sauce.
- Fill the tortillas with shredded chicken and roll them up.
- Arrange a dozen filled tortillas in each pan.
- Top with the green sauce.
- Spoon creme fraiche (or sour cream) over the sauce.
- Sprinkle chopped onion and cilantro over the top.
- Cover with Monterey Jack cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes, and broil briefly if the top needs browning.
-
Serve:
- Serve the enchiladas hot with refried beans on the side.
Note:
- To freeze: Prepare the recipe through step 4. Place rolled enchiladas on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag, seal, label, and freeze. Place the sauce in a separate freezer bag, and place both bags in a larger bag. Seal and freeze.
- To serve: Thaw the enchiladas in the fridge overnight. Complete assembly and bake as directed in the recipe.
Indulge in the authentic flavors of Mexico with these tantalizing enchiladas verdes, a culinary journey that’s both satisfying and memorable! 🇲🇽✨
