Roasted Green Chile-Chicken Enchiladas
Make the tomatilla salsa:
- 12 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed
- 1 onion, quartered
- Splash white vinegar
- Water
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
- 2 limes, juiced
- Salt
- Put the tomatillos, jalapenos, and onion in a saucepan with the vinegar and water to cover.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and poach until the tomatillos are soft, about 10 minutes. Drain.
- Put contents of the saucepan in a blender, add the cumin, and puree.
- Add the cilantro, lime juice, and salt, and pulse to combine. Set aside.
Make the filling:
- 3 fresh poblano peppers
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups canned chicken stock
- 1 Deli roasted chicken, about 3 pounds, boned, meat shredded
- Leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 large corn tortillas (I used flour because the store was out of corn)
- 1/2 pound Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- Chunky Guacamole, recipe follows
- 1 pint sour cream
Roast the peppers
NOTE: You could use canned green chilies instead of the poblamos to save time, but I like the fresh better.
- Place the poblano peppers directly over the flame on a gas stove and cook, turning with tongs, until the skin is charred and blackened. (Or, if you have an electric stove, put the chiles on a baking sheet and broil, turning with tongs, until the skin is blackened.)
- Place peppers in a plastic bag or wrap in saran wrap and leave them for 10-15 minutes to steam. This will make the skin come off easier.
- Skin the peppers by rubbing them under running water until you have most of the outside skin off. Leaving a little is okay. Go ahead and remove the seeds. Don’t rub your eyes.
- Dice the peppers and set aside.
Make the filling
- Heat a 2-count of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook until softened and caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Stir in the cumin and cook 1 minute.
- Sprinkle on the flour and cook, stirring, 1 more minute.
- Gradually pour in the stock, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring to make sure the flour doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan; the liquid will thicken.
- Fold in the chicken, diced peppers, and cilantro, and season well with salt and pepper.
Assemble the dish
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Get your self a large baking dish like a cassarole dish.
- Dip a corn tortilla into the tomatilla salsa and put it on a cutting board (or clean surface). Put a big scoop of the chicken mixture in the center, sprinkle with a little of the cheese, and roll the tortilla like a cigar to enclose the filling. Use a spatula to place it seam side down in the baking dish.
- Continue to fill all of the tortillas and put them in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining tomatilla salsa over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Serve hot with Kevin’s guacamole and sour cream.