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Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

Source of Recipe

From "Martha's American Food" by Martha Stewart


Recipe Introduction

"Dipping corn tortillas 'en chile' gave rise to the word 'enchilada,' and a plate of enchiladas verdes remains one of the glories of Southwestern cooking. Here, long, juicy shreds of chicken mingle with melted Monterey Jack, tangy sour cream, and green salsa. A few tweaks make this version lighter and easier for the home cook: chicken breast replaces the more common dark meat, and it is poached rather than roasted; the sour cream is thinned with a bit of water; and the tortillas quickly toasted to soften, not fried in oil. Still, you have never tasted a more soul-satisfying forkful."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ pounds bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed
â—¦ ½ white onion, halved crosswise
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, peeled
â—¦ Coarse salt
â—¦ 2 cups loosely packed cilantro leaves
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
â—¦ 1 jalapeño chile
â—¦ 1 poblano chile
â—¦ 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
â—¦ 1 cup (2 ounces) grated Monterey Jack
â—¦ ½ cup sour cream
â—¦ 2 tablespoons water



Recipe

Place chicken, half the onion, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch and season with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Reserve ¾ cup cooking liquid (discard garlic and onion). When cool enough to handle, shred chicken meat; discard bones. Coarsely chop ½ cup cilantro, and toss with chicken.

Heat broiler, with rack about 6 inches from heat source. Broil tomatillos and chiles on a rimmed baking sheet, rotating as they blacken, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Remove blackened skins from chiles with paper towels; remove ribs and seeds if desired for less heat. Reduce oven to 375° F.

Combine tomatillos and chiles in a blender with remaining 1 ½ cups cilantro and the reserved cooking liquid; season with salt. Purée to a coarse consistency, then transfer salsa to a large bowl. Working with one at a time, heat tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-high 5 seconds, then flip and heat 5 seconds more. (Alternatively, stack tortillas and wrap in a damp kitchen towel or paper towels; heat in microwave 30 seconds.)

Dip a tortilla into salsa to coat on both sides lightly. Place â…“ cup chicken on half of tortilla. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese on top and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas, chicken, and cheese, arranging enchiladas side by side in dish. Spoon remaining salsa on top and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.

Thinly slice remaining onion and scatter over the top of the enchiladas. Stir the water into sour cream and spoon on top. Serve immediately.

Serves 4