Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Suburban, casserole style enchiladas.
By Ethan ChlebowskiThis style of enchilada is the first one I had growing up, the one I fell in love with, and the one my brother and I literally fought for the leftovers in the fridge and broke a glass dish over. True story.
For a more authentic enchilada recipe, check out my Mexico city style enchiladas rojas.
Ethan Chlebowski
Ingredients
Garlic cumin chicken
- garlic5-6 cloves
- chicken thighs, skin on4-61.5 lbs / 600 g
- salt
- mayonnaisea spoonful15 g
- cumin seedsa spoonful3 g
Enchilada verde sauce
- anaheim peppers6
- poblano peppers1
- cooking oila drizzle
- onions1/4
- cumin seedsa spoonful
- cilantroa handful
- chicken broth, or water~250 gor as needed
- vinegara splash
- saltto taste
Tortillas & garnishes
- flour tortillas8-10
- monterrey jack cheese1 block
- sour cream
- pickled onions
- cilantro
Method
Step 1: Prep & dry brine the chicken
Using a knife, debone the chicken thighs, but leave the skin on.
Place the chicken on a baking sheet. Sprinkle salt on both sides and place uncovered in the fridge for about 1 hour or up to overnight to dry out the skin and let the chicken dry .
Step 2: Roast the chilies for the sauce
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F/212°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut all the peppers in half.
Add a drizzle of oil and place the halved peppers down on the sheet. in the oven until completely soft and the skin has slightly blackened. Remove the roasted peppers from the oven and place in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let for at least 10 minutes.
Step 3: Marinate & roast the chicken
Meanwhile, increase the oven to 450°F/232°C.
In a mortar & pestle, grind the cumin then mash or grate 6 cloves of garlic. Mix the garlic, fresh ground cumin, and mayo together. Rub the mayo over the exterior of the chicken thighs and place the fat side up on the sheet before moving to the preheated oven.
until the thighs are around 165-170°F/76°C. If the skin is not crisp and browned, set the oven to broil to finish.
- Set the chicken aside to rest before dicing into cubes for filling the enchiladas
Step 4: Peel chilies & blend sauce
Once the peppers are and softened, remove the outer skin, membrane and seeds of the peppers. Roughly dice the cooked peppers, and optionally reserve a few for garnish.
Add the roasted peppers and all remaining sauce ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Taste it and adjust with salt and a splash of vinegar for brightness.
Step 5: Prep enchiladas
Ensure the oven is still preheated to 450°F/232°C.
In a 9x13” baking pan or casserole dish, add a thin layer of the enchilada verde sauce to the bottom.
To fill, place a warm tortilla in the casserole pan and spoon a little sour cream on the upper third. Follow that with a handful of the cubed chicken, a spoonful of green chiles, and a strip of the pepper jack cheese. Be careful not to overfill it and roll the tortilla up tightly as possible. Repeat this process until you run out of filling or tortillas.
Drizzle over the more of the enchilada sauce and an extra big handful of shredded Monterrey jack cheese, if desired.
Step 6: Bake & finish
Place the prepped enchilada dish in the oven and until the cheese is bubbly and slightly melted, usually around 10-15 minutes.
To serve, garnish with cilantro, pickled onions, extra sour cream, or reserved diced chilies.
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