Easy Enchiladas Verdes

5 from 1 vote

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!

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

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.

Nutrition