Enchiladas Verdes (Green Enchiladas with Chicken & Cheese)

Enchiladas verdes has been one of my all-time favorite dishes for almost my entire life. So, naturally, I am drawn to every version that I come across! I liked how this version included cheese in the filling rather than melted over the top. These enchiladas were also extra saucy- loved it.

This recipe was adapted from Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street magazine. I used poached chicken thighs but rotisserie chicken meat could be used as a shortcut.

We ate the enchiladas garnished with chopped onion and cilantro with rice and refried beans on the side. I cooked the rice in the chicken poaching liquid which made it extra flavorful. Great.

Yield: 4 servings (8 enchiladas)

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 medium-large poblano chilies (about 12 to 14 oz), stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 pound tomatillos, husked, cored, and chopped
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped, plus more for garnish, if desired
• 8 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1/2 cup chicken stock, plus an additional 2 cups if poaching the chicken
• 1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems, rinsed and dried, plus more for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound boneless chicken (I used 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs) (or 1 1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken)
• 6 oz Monterey jack or whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 T hot sauce, such as Cholula or Tapatío (I used Chipotle Cholula- my favorite)
• 8 6-inch corn tortillas
• lime wedges, to serve, optional
• sour cream or Mexican crema, for serving, optional
• rice and refried beans, for serving, optional

1. Place the chicken in a medium saucepan and cover with about 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover and cook until the thickest part of the meat registers 165 degrees for thighs or 160 degrees for breasts, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the chicken cool in the liquid until just warm, then finely chop the meat. Reserve the cooking liquid. (Alternatively, 1 1/2 cups of chopped rotisserie chicken meat can be substituted.)
2. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees with a rack in the center position.
3. In a large pot over medium-high, combine 1 tablespoon of the oil, the chopped poblanos, cored & chopped tomatillos, chopped onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are beginning to soften, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have completely softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
6. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute.
7. Add the cilantro and continue to process until smooth, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish; set aside. (I used 4 individual enameled cast iron serving dishes, placing 1/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of each dish.)
9. In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, cheese, hot sauce, 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
10. Brush both sides of the tortillas with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet (its fine to overlap them slightly). Cover tightly with foil and warm in the oven just until soft and pliable, about 3 minutes. (This step is important in order to make sure that the tortillas are pliable enough to fill and roll.)
11. Uncover the tortillas; reserve the foil. Lay the tortillas out on a large cutting board (or 2) or a clean counter.
12. Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the tortillas (about 3 heaping tablespoons each), arranging the filling in a line along the bottom edge of each tortilla. (I used a 3 T cookie scoop.)
13. Working one at a time, roll up the tortillas to enclose the filling and place seam side down in a tight row down the center of the prepared baking dish. (or 2 enchiladas per individual baking dish)
14. Spoon 1/2 cup of the sauce over the enchiladas. (or 2 T per individual baking dish)
15. Cover tightly with a layer of parchment paper topped with the reserved foil. Bake until the cheese begins to melt out of the ends, about 15 minutes.
16. Meanwhile, cook 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of chicken poaching liquid, if desired. (I used white Basmati rice.) (I also warmed refried beans at this point.)
17. Uncover and spread the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. (or about 2 T per individual baking dish) Re-cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
18. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream or Mexican crema, garnished with chopped onion and cilantro, as desired.

Poblano, Black Bean & Cheese Enchiladas

Recently, my friend gave me beautiful cast iron baking dishes. I knew that I wanted to make enchiladas in them right away! Our Cinco de Mayo feast was the perfect occasion. Our meal also included chips and guacamole, of course. 😉

The recipe for these hearty, vegetarian enchiladas was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. I modified the proportions and method. We ate them garnished with sour cream, red onion, avocado, and cilantro with refried beans and rice on the side. We topped off our festive meal with a Tres Leches Cake. Perfect.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (I used a food processor)
• 1 poblano chile, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (I used a food processor)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving, optional
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups coarsely grated mild Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• 10 to 12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas (I used Trader Joe’s corn & wheat tortillas)
• fresh cilantro leaves and stems, for serving
• sliced avocado, for serving, optional
• diced white or red onion, for serving, optional
• rice and refried beans, for serving, optional

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. (I used the convection setting.)
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions and chopped poblano chile; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred in spots, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the cumin and minced garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
4. Transfer half the vegetable mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, chili powder and chipotle chile. (I used a Vitamix.) Blend until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (If your blender isn’t particularly strong and the sauce looks more like a chunky purée, add 1/4 cup sour cream and blend again until smooth.)(I omitted the sour cream in the sauce.)
5. Add the black beans and 1/2 cup cheese to the remaining vegetables in the skillet and stir to combine. Some canned beans are already salted, so taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
6. Place the tortillas in a tortilla warmer (or on a plate) covered with a damp paper towel. Cover and microwave for 1 minute, or until warm and pliable.
7. If using individual dishes, spread a few spoonfuls of sauce over the bottom of each dish. (I used 5 dishes.) Alternatively, pour enough enchilada sauce to lightly coat the base of a medium casserole dish or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Spread it to cover the bottom of the dish(es).
8. Line up the filling, tortillas and baking dish in a row. Place a heaping 1/4 cup of the bean mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in the casserole dish(es), seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. (I placed 2 enchiladas per individual dish.)
9. Spoon or pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
10. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cheese, to taste. (I used 1/2 cup cheese per dish.)
11. Place the baking dish(es) on a rimmed baking sheet and tent with foil. Bake for 10 minutes.
12. Remove foil and continue to bake until the cheese has melted and has browned in spots, about 10 additional minutes.
13. Top with sour cream, avocado slices, diced onion, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Note: The sauce and the black bean mixture (without the cheese) can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The spice level in the sauce can be easily modified by adjusting the amount of chili powder.

Shortcut Vegetarian Enchiladas with Butternut Squash & Black Beans

This crowd-pleasing casserole uses store bought enchilada sauce as a shortcut. I peeled and cut a butternut squash, but using pre-cut squash would be another easy shortcut. It was a wonderful vegetarian dish.

This recipe was adapted from Skinnytaste.com. I modified the proportions, used Monterey Jack cheese, and substituted corn tortillas for flour tortillas. I served the enchiladas with brown Basmati rice, refried beans, and Trader Joe’s Mexican street corn. Great!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 12 oz bottle of enchilada sauce (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small butternut squash, cut 1/2-inch-dice
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 10 oz can “original” Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced, plus more for garnish
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 12 corn tortillas (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 scallions, sliced, for garnish
• sour cream, for serving, optional (low-fat okay)
• brown Basmati rice and refried beans, for serving, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F, preferably on convection.
2. Place 1/4 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish. (I used a ceramic 9×13-inch baking dish.)
3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno and cook 2-3 minutes until onions become translucent and garlic is fragrant.
4. Add cubed butternut squash, Rotel tomatoes, black beans, water, cilantro, cumin and chili powder and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. (Add more water if the mixture looks dry.)
5. At the end of the cooking time for the filling, steam the tortillas. Place the corn tortillas in a tortilla warmer or on a plate and place a damp paper towel on top. Cover tightly (using plastic wrap if using a plate), and microwave for approximately 1 minute, or until they are warm and pliable. Keep covered until ready to fill.
6. Place a generous 1/4 cup filling in the center of each tortilla and roll to close, placing in the baking dish seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling. (I used a dry measuring cup to ration the filling.)
7. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and shredded cheese.
8. Bake, covered with foil until the sauce is bubbling and hot and the cheese is melted, about 15 to 20 minutes.
9. Top with scallions and cilantro. Serve with sour cream, rice, and/or refried beans, as desired.

Shredded Chicken Tacos (Tinga de Pollo)

My brother and sister-in-law gave me a sous vide machine for Christmas. What a fun new world to explore! I started out using it to make the best hard-cooked eggs I’ve ever eaten in my life. I stepped it up a notch to make this incredibly saucy and moist taco filling.

This recipe was adapted from the America’s Test Kitchen book Sous Vide for Everybody: The Easy, Foolproof Cooking Technique That’s Sweeping the World. I substituted feta for the Cotija cheese and served the tacos in corn-wheat tortillas. Amazing.

Yield: Serves 6

Sous Vide Time: 3 to 5 hours at 180F/82C

For the Chicken:

• 2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed (I used 2.5# pounds- about 10 thighs)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T (28 g) vegetable oil (I used canola)
• 1 onion (140 g), halved and sliced thin (I used a sweet onion)
• 2 T (32 g) minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1 tsp (2 g) garlic powder
• 1 tsp (2.5 g) ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
• 1 14.5 oz (410 g) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 tsp (2 g) brown sugar
• 1 tsp (3 g) grated lime zest (I used the zest of 1 lime)
• 2 T (30 g) freshly squeezed lime juice

For the Tacos:

• 12-18 (6-inch) corn or corn-wheat tortillas, warmed
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 oz (57 g) Cojita or feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)
• 6 scallions (90 g), minced
• minced fresh cilantro
• lime wedges
• rice and refried beans, for serving, optional

To Make the Chicken:

1. Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 180F/82C in 7 to 12-quart container. (I filled my 12-quart container with 9 quarts of water.) I prepared the filling while the water was heating.
2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 T (14 g) oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.
4. Brown half of chicken, 3 to 4 minutes per side; transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
5. Heat remaining 1 T (14 g) oil in now-empty skillet until shimmering.
6. Add onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes.
7. Stir in chipotle, garlic powder, cumin, and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
8. Stir in tomatoes and sugar, scraping up any browned bits.
9. Transfer mixture to blender and process until smooth, 30 to 45 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. (I used a Vitamix.)
10. Place chicken and any accumulated juices and sauce in 1-gallon ziplock freezer bag and toss to coat.
11. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible.
12. Place bag into second 1-gallon ziplock freezer bag and seal.
13. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until chicken is fully submerged, and then clip the top corner to the side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. (I used a binder clip.)
14. Reopen 1 corner of the zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag.
15. Cover and cook for at least 3 hours or up to 5 hours. (I cooked mine for 5 hours.)
16. Transfer chicken and sauce to large bowl, let cool slightly, and then shred chicken into bite-size pieces using 2 forks.
17. Stir in lime zest and juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To Assemble the Tacos:

1. Spoon chicken into center of each tortilla. Serve with avocado, cheese, scallions, cilantro, and lime wedges.
2. Serve with rice and refried beans, as desired.

BLT Tacos

Why have I never thought of making a BLT taco before? Genius.

This quick and delicious weeknight dinner recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I cooked the bacon at a lower temperature, increasing the cooking time. I think that this method isn’t as messy. 🙂 I added avocado slices, used corn-flour hybrid tortillas, a Serrano instead of jalapeño chile, increased the lime juice, and used chipotle Tabasco in the mayonnaise. I also warmed the tortillas with steam in the microwave.

Yield: Serves 4

• 1 pound thick-cut bacon, about 10 slices
• 1 pint (2 cups) grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered (mixed colors are pretty here)
• 1 small Serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded or not, finely chopped
• 2-3 T cilantro, chopped
• 1 T fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 ½ teaspoons Cholula or other hot sauce, or to taste, plus more for serving (I used Chipotle Tabasco)
• 8 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas (I used corn-flour hybrid tortillas)
• Romaine lettuce leaves, sliced into bite-size pieces
• 1 avocado, sliced into eighths
• refried beans and rice, for serving, optional

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection. Lay bacon in an even layer in 2 9-13″ glass pyrex dishes or on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until browned and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plates and let cool. (Keep rendered fat for another use.)
2. While bacon is cooking, toss together tomatoes, chopped chile, cilantro, lime juice and a large pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Taste and add more lime juice and salt, if needed.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and hot sauce.
4. Place tortillas in a tortilla warmer or medium bowl. Top with a damp paper towel and seal with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave for 1 minute to warm.  (Alternatively, the tortillas can be warmed on the stove top: Lay a clean kitchen towel in a medium bowl. Using the open flame from a stovetop gas burner (or in a skillet placed on an electric burner), warm and lightly char tortillas, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Transfer warmed tortillas to a towel-lined bowl, and cover with towel to keep warm while you finish remaining tortillas.)
5. Serve, letting people make their own tacos by layering bacon, salsa, lettuce, spicy mayonnaise and avocado, on tortillas. Top with more hot sauce, if desired.

Tacos with Shrimp in Chipotle Sauce (Camerones Enchipotlados)

These tacos were quite spicy, but the heat was easily counteracted by the mild toppings. The smoky heat from chipotle chilies is one of my absolute favorite flavors.

This dish was very quick to prepare. The recipe was adapted from Milk Street: The New Home Cooking by Christopher Kimball. (my last one to share… for now 🙂 ) I increased the amount of garlic and incorporated my CSA garlic scapes. We ate the shrimp filling in warm, soft corn tortillas topped with avocado, fresh cilantro, and sour cream. Perfect with refried beans on the side.

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 vine-ripened tomatoes (1 1/4 pounds), quartered
• 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, with sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 T olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds extra-large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed and patted dry
• 4 T lime juice, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, plus 2 garlic scapes, sliced (optional)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, plus more to serve
• 8 to 10 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
• diced or sliced avocado, sour cream, and lime wedges, for serving

1. In a food processor, pulse the tomatoes, chiles, and any sauce coating the chiles, with 3/4 tsp salt until mostly smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.
2. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat 2 T of the oil until beginning to smoke. Add half of the shrimp and cook, stirring, until golden, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, adding them to the bowl.
4. Toss shrimp with 2 T of the lime juice. Set aside.
5. Return the skillet to medium-high and add the remaining 2 T of oil. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and oregano and cook until just beginning to brown, 1 minute.
7. Stir in the wine and any accumulated shrimp juice from the bowl. Cook until liquid is nearly evaporated.
8. Add the chipotle mixture and simmer, stirring, until thick enough to coat a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes.
9. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the shrimp, cover and let sit until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes.
10. Stir in the cilantro and remaining lime juice. Adjust seasonings as necessary.
11. Serve with warmed tortillas, cilantro, avocado, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Skillet

Somehow, we seem to always have a conflict with a having timely Cinco de Mayo feast. This year, my son has his Swim Club Dinner Dance (at an Italian restaurant, by the way), so, we had our feast early. This way, there is also time to have a second feast. Good planning, right?

This quick and easy, crowd-pleasing dish was perfect for our early Cinco de Mayo celebration. It would be perfect for a Mexican-inspired weeknight meal any other day of the year too. We enjoyed it with chips and guacamole, of course. 😉

This recipe was adapted from Epicurious.com, contributed by Anna Stockwell. I reduced the oven temperature, and increased the proportions as well as the pan size. Great.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Total Time: 30 minutes

• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2  teaspoons kosher salt
• 24 oz (1 1/2 jars) medium red salsa (I used Trader Joe’s Garlic Chipotle Salsa)
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 6 corn tortillas, torn into quarters
• 6 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)
• 1 to 2 cans (15.5-ounce each) black beans, drained, rinsed (I used 1 1/2 cans)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• cilantro, for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 425°F, preferably on convection.
2. Combine salsa, sour cream, and 6 T water in a large bowl; stir to combine. Fold in tortillas, chicken, and beans until thoroughly coated.
3. Heat oil in a 12″ ovenproof skillet over medium. (I used cast iron.)
4. Add onion, garlic, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Transfer onion mixture to the chicken and bean mixture; reserve hot skillet. Fold to incorporate evenly.
6. Return mixture to reserved skillet and transfer to preheated oven until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Mixture should be bubbling on the edges.
7. Remove skillet from the oven. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top.
8. Return skillet to oven and bake until cheese is lightly browned, melted and bubbling, about 7 to 10 minutes.
9. Top with cilantro, if desired.

One Year Ago:

• Cinco de Mayo Chicken-Chipotle Tacos

Two Years Ago:

• Shrimp & Avocado Enchiladas in Creamy Tomato Sauce

Three Years Ago:

• Shortcut Enchiladas Verdes
• Creamy Poblano & Ancho Chicken Tacos: Mix & Match Fillings
• Mexican-Style Chicken over Penne

Four Years Ago:

• Cinco de Mayo Chicken Tinga Tacos
• Rick Bayless’ Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Red Chile
• Creamy Chicken and Greens with Roasted Poblano Tacos or Pollo a la Crema con Quelites, Chile Poblano Asado