Green Chicken Enchiladas

Updated Oct. 2, 2023

Green Chicken Enchiladas
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(2,766)
Comments
Read comments

You could poach chicken breasts for these enchiladas, as Amanda Hesser did when she first published this recipe in The Times in 2002, or you could use store-bought rotisserie chicken. After reading several comments from readers who felt the sauce needed to be doubled, we retested the recipe and agreed. We've updated the amounts accordingly.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • Sea salt or kosher salt
  • 4skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 2pounds tomatillos, papery skin removed
  • 2tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2large white onions, peeled, 1 chopped, the other sliced into rings
  • 2tablespoons minced jalapeño
  • 3tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 12corn tortillas
  • 8ounces queso añejo or cotija, crumbled
  • Mexican crema or crème fraîche for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

868 calories; 36 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 16 grams sugars; 81 grams protein; 1667 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a pan of salted water to a simmer and poach the chicken over low heat until just cooked through, about 9 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Let cool. With your fingers, finely shred the chicken. Lightly season with salt, toss to mix and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, make the sauce. Cut the tomatillos in half. Heat the oil in a skillet large enough to fit the tomatillos in 1 layer. When the oil shimmers, add the chopped onion and jalapeño and sauté until the onion is softened at the edges. Add the tomatillos, season with salt and continue cooking until wilted. Turn off the heat and let cool for a few minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Pour the tomatillos into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning. Pour the sauce into a shallow bowl.

  4. Step 4

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart baking dish and spread a little sauce on the bottom. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, soften each in a dry, hot skillet for about 8 seconds per side, then coat lightly with sauce. Lay each tortilla on a plate and sprinkle about ⅓ cup of shredded chicken in the middle and roll into a cylinder. Repeat, lining up tortillas tightly in the dish.

  5. Step 5

    Spread the rest of the sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle with queso añejo. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes longer, until the queso añejo is melted. Dollop with crema, garnish with onion rings and serve with additional crema.

Ratings

4 out of 5
2,766 user ratings
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Comments

Hi all! After reading your comments, we retested the recipe, and we agree that doubling the sauce is the way to go. We've updated the recipe accordingly. Thanks, and happy cooking!

add some whole cumin. rub it between your hands and add to oil when frying the onion. Add some mexican oregano when the sauce goes to simmer.

No chicken required! I used red kidney beans and quinoa. Delicious! :)

Heat the oil to what? Medium, high, medium-high?

Step 2- heat the oil to what? Low, medium, high?

I plan to make this for my daughter when she visits in two weeks. Mexican market for ingredients. I prefer culantro to cilantro. Keeps well. Stronger flavor, holds up well on hot foods. I’ll use authentic cheeses and fresh tortillas. I used to eat highly spicy foods. Visited Thailand twice, lived at Mexican border and in the Caribbean. My stomach can no longer handle spiciest so I do milder peppers, deseeded, and roast to add depth. Yes to cumin and Mexican oregano. I’ll use skinless thighs with marinade to add depth to filling- perhaps some beans if I don’t do a side of rice and beans.

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