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    Home » Most Recent

    Easy Enchiladas Verdes

    June 19, 2020 By Patrick 4 Comments

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    When you're cooking almost every meal at home then the recipes tend to get simpler right?  

    I think that's why I've been making these Enchiladas Verdes more often over the past few months.  It's one of the easiest enchilada dishes you'll ever make, but don't let the simple ingredient list fool you as you can get incredible flavor when building this green sauce from scratch. 

    I've been making these easy Enchiladas Verdes more often over the past few months. But don't let the simple ingredient list fool you as you can get incredible flavor when building this green sauce from scratch! mexicanplease.com

    How To Make Enchiladas Verdes

    If you've ever made Salsa Verde at home then you already have all the knowledge you'll need to make these enchiladas.

    In other words, we're relying on these beauties:

    It would be easy to give all the credit to the chorizo in these epic breakfast burritos. But it's the tomatillo salsa that really amps them up. So good! mexicanplease.com

    You'll need about 1.5 lbs. of tomatillos for this recipe.  That'll be around 12-15 tomatillos depending on their size.   What's a Tomatillo?

    But don't sweat the exact weight too much as I usually just eyeball it too 🙂

    And I'm sticking with the brine and bake method for the chicken, but you are welcome to cook it any way you want.  

    Start by adding a quart of water to a mixing bowl and dissolving 1/4 cup of Kosher or sea salt into it.  Add 2 chicken breasts (approx. 1 lb. total) and let them brine for about 30-60 minutes.  I usually cover the bowl and stick it in the fridge. 

    Brining two chicken breasts

    Once brined you can pat dry the chicken breasts and add them to a baking sheet.  They'll need about 20 minutes in a 400F oven to fully cook. 

    Luckily this is about the same amount of time the tomatillos need so we'll add those as well.

    Adding chicken and tomatillos to baking sheet for roasting 

    And while I never roast the jalapeno or onion for Salsa Verde, I did for these enchiladas.  Roasting will mellow them out a little and I felt like that was a better fit here, but it's your call on that one. 

    Once the chicken is cooked you can set it aside for a few minutes to cool and then shred it using two forks. 

    Shredding chicken using two forks

    Be sure to take a taste to confirm how awesome brining is 🙂

    Meanwhile, in the blender you can add:

    the roasted tomatillos
    1/2 onion
    1-3 jalapenos
    3-4 peeled garlic cloves
    10-15 sprigs cilantro

    Start with just a single jalapeno if you want a milder version.  Then give it a whirl and take a taste, adding more jalapeno if you want more heat.   I used all 3 jalapenos 🙂

    Green sauce ingredients after blending

    I usually bring this sauce up to temp in a saucepan, but you are welcome to simplify and just add all the additional ingredients to the blender. 

    Add the green sauce to a pan along with:

    1/2 cup stock
    1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)

    Adding Mexican oregano to green enchilada sauce

    I used homemade veggie stock but any stock will do here --  it's mostly just to thin out the sauce a little.  

    And I really like a hint of Mexican oregano in this green sauce but that is definitely optional -- don't sweat it if you don't have any on hand as you'll still get a good result.  What is Mexican Oregano?

    Authentic Mexican Ingredients | mexicanplease.com

    You'll need about 10-14 corn tortillas for this recipe, depending on how stuffed you want your enchis 🙂

    It's best to warm up the tortillas first as this will make them easier to roll.   You have three options for this:  flash fry them in some hot oil, put them in the oven for a few minutes, or nuke them in a damp paper towel for a minute or so. 

    I usually pour some green sauce on a plate, dredge the warm tortilla in it, and then fill 'em up.

    Rolling up enchiladas on a plate 

    For the insides of this batch I used:

    the shredded chicken
    plenty of Jack cheese
    finely chopped raw onion 

    You are welcome to put some green sauce on the inside of your enchis if you want. 

    Add the rolled up tortillas to a baking dish seam side down.  I usually add a layer of sauce on the bottom to prevent sticking.  

    Pouring green sauce on top of enchiladas

    Then drench them with the green sauce!   

    I could fit 10 stuffed enchiladas in this baking dish and I still had a bit of chicken leftover.   You'll have plenty of green sauce too, so feel free to save some for a final layer after the bake. 

    Add some shredded cheese on top and give 'em 8-10 minutes in a 400F oven. 

    Enchiladas right after baking with melted cheese

    Once the cheese is melted you can serve 'em up! 

    Enchiladas Verdes with cilantro just before serving

    Taste good?

    Enchiladas Verdes is such an easy recipe and I think you'll be surprised how much flavor you get when you build your green sauce from scratch.  I hope you enjoy it 🙂

    P.S. For those of you who want to turn this into a creamy green sauce then see these Enchiladas Suizas.  You'll need cream and poblanos for that recipe, but the base is the same as these Enchiladas Verdes. 

    To get up-to-date recipes follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.

     

    I've been making these easy Enchiladas Verdes more often over the past few months. But don't let the simple ingredient list fool you as you can get incredible flavor when building this green sauce from scratch! mexicanplease.com

    Easy Enchiladas Verdes

    I've been making these easy Enchiladas Verdes more often over the past few months.  But don't let the simple ingredient list fool you as you can get incredible flavor when building this green sauce from scratch! 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 316kcal
    Author: Mexican Please

    Ingredients

    For the green sauce:

    • 12-15 tomatillos (approx. 1.5 lbs.)
    • 1-3 jalapenos
    • 1/2 onion
    • 3-4 garlic cloves
    • 10-15 sprigs cilantro
    • 1/2 cup stock
    • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)

    For the enchiladas:

    • 2 chicken breasts
    • 10-14 corn tortillas
    • cheese (I used Jack)
    • finely chopped raw onion
    • freshly chopped cilantro
    • salt

    Instructions

    • Start by adding a quart of cold water to a mixing bowl along with a 1/4 cup of Kosher or sea salt. Dissolve the salt and then add the chicken breasts. Let the chicken brine for 30-60 minutes. I usually cover the bowl and put it in the fridge. Once brined you can pat the chicken dry and add it to a baking sheet.
    • Rinse and de-stem the tomatillos. Add them to the same baking sheet as the chicken and bake for 20 minutes in a 400F oven. For this batch I also roasted the jalapenos and 1/2 onion but that is optional.
    • When the chicken is no longer pink inside or registers 160-165F then it's done. Set aside to cool and then shred using two forks.
    • In a blender add the following ingredients: the roasted tomatillos, 1-3 jalapenos, 1/2 onion, 3-4 peeled garlic cloves, and 10-15 sprigs of cilantro. Combine well and take a taste for heat, adding more jalapeno for more heat.
    • Add the green sauce to a pan along with 1/2 cup of stock and 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, bringing it up to temp over medium-low heat. Take a final taste for seasoning.
    • Heating up the corn tortillas first will make them easier to roll. I covered them with a damp paper towel and nuked them for 60 seconds. You could also flash fry them or heat them up in the oven.
    • Add a thin layer of green sauce to your baking dish to prevent sticking. Put some green sauce on a plate, dredge a tortilla in it, then flip it and fill with your preferred ingredients. I used the shredded chicken, plenty of Jack cheese, and some finely chopped raw onion. Roll tight and place seam side down in the baking dish. Continue until all the hcicken is gone.
    • Cover the enchiladas with plenty of green sauce and a layer of shredded cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes in a 400F oven.
    • Serve immediately with your choice of garnish. Freshly chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and more green sauce are all good options.

    Notes

    Kosher or sea salt are typically recommended for brining as they don’t have any additives.
    For a milder version, start with a single jalapeno and give it a taste after blending.  If you want more heat simply add more jalapeno. 
    If you don't want to brine the chicken you could poach it instead (or even use rotisserie chicken).  See Mexican Shredded Chicken for details. 
    Using 2 chicken breasts will give you 10-14 enchiladas, depending on how much chicken you put in each tortilla. 
    Options for warming up corn tortillas.
    Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

    Want to see our latest recipe?  It's this Mango Black Bean Salsa. 

    2 cups worth of Mango Black Bean Salsa

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. ChefMImi

      June 21, 2020 at 2:39 am

      Fabulous. I never knew there was a difference with Mexican oregano. Interesting. Love your enchiladas. My husband isn’t terribly fond of a heavy tomatillo sauce, so I just usually add more green chiles, and that works. I like to roast everything together - chiles, tomatillos, onions, garlic - and then just blend. Such fabulous flavors!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        June 24, 2020 at 2:14 pm

        Thanks Mimi!

        Reply
    2. Penny Thomas

      June 20, 2020 at 3:14 am

      This looks phenomenal! I can't wait to give it a try.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        June 24, 2020 at 2:19 pm

        Thanks Penny, I hope it treats you well 🙂

        Reply

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    Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

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