ENCHILADAS VERDES

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

The green tomatillo-based sauce used in enchiladas verdes cooks much more quickly than the red enchilada sauce variety, making these a great choice for a weeknight meal. We love the combination of rustic-textured, vibrant green sauce, tender chicken, soft corn tortillas, and gooey cheese topping. To keep this recipe easy while still mimicking traditional recipes, which call for dry-roasting whole tomatillos
and poblanos on the stovetop until charred, we broiled the vegetables. The pepper Jack cheese has a mildly spicy kick that complements the poblanos. To increase spiciness, reserve some of the chiles’ ribs and seeds and add them to the food processor in step 4. To avoid soggy enchiladas, be sure to cool the chicken filling before filling the tortillas.

SERVES: 4 to 6

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ cups chicken broth
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 1½ pounds tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed well and dried
• 3 poblano chiles, stemmed, halved, and seeded
• 1–2½ teaspoons sugar
• Salt and pepper
• 8 ounces pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• Thinly sliced radishes
• Sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. SAUTE ONIONS AND ADD CHICKEN:

Adjust 1 oven rack to middle position and second rack 6 inches from broiler element; heat broiler. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in cumin and two-thirds of garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and bring to simmer. Add chicken and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until chicken registers 160 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let cool slightly.

1. ROAST TOMATILLOS AND POBLANOS:

While chicken cools, measure out ½ cup liquid and set aside; discard remaining liquid. Toss tomatillos and poblanos with 1 teaspoon oil. Arrange tomatillos cut side down and poblanos skin side up on aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil on upper rack until vegetables blacken and start to soften, 5 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. Let tomatillos and poblanos cool slightly, then remove skins from poblanos (leave tomatillo skins intact). Heat oven to 450 degrees.

1. PREPARE THE SAUCE:

Transfer vegetables, along with any accumulated juices, to food processor. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining garlic, and reserved cooking liquid to food processor and pulse until sauce is somewhat chunky, about 8 pulses. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and adjust tartness by stirring in remaining sugar, ½ teaspoon at a time; set aside.

1. MAKE THE FILLING:

When chicken is cool, use 2 forks to shred into bite-size pieces. Combine chicken with 1½ cups pepper Jack and cilantro; season with salt to taste.

1. ASSEMBLE THE ENCHILADAS:

Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Brush both sides of tortillas with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Stack tortillas, wrap in damp dish towel, and place on plate. Microwave until warm and pliable, about 1 minute. Working with 1 warm tortilla at a time, spread ⅓ cup chicken filling across center. Roll tortilla tightly around filling and place seam side down in dish, arranging enchiladas in 2 columns across width of dish. Cover completely with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup pepper Jack.

1. BAKE THE ENCHILADAS:

Cover dish tightly with greased aluminum foil and bake until enchiladas are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

1. SERVE:

Let enchiladas cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions, and serve, passing radishes and sour cream
separately.