Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce
NYU Food Lab Culinary Director Lourdes Castro
I promise these enchiladas are unlike any you have ever had before. Although the tortillas are fried, the enchiladas are light and vibrantly flavorful because they are not smothered in cream and cheese. Instead, the fresh cheese is crumbled on top and the tangy Mexican crema is served on the side.
Recipe from Lourdes Castro's Simply Mexican cookbook.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
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1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 3 breasts)
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2 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
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2 onions, halved
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2 bay leaves
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
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2 cups Fresh Tomatillo Sauce (found in recipe box)
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1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
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Black pepper
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12 fresh corn tortillas
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Cilantro sprigs for garnish
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1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco, or feta cheese
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1 cup Mexican crema
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1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
Instructions
Poach the chicken
Combine the chicken breasts, garlic, 1 of the onions, bay leaves, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the chicken and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to a simmer and cook for 35 minutes. To check for doneness, slit the chicken in half to make sure the inside is cooked through; the juices should run clear.
Allow the chicken to cool in the broth (this will keep it moist). When it is cool enough to handle, shred the chicken by hand by pulling apart the fibers of the chicken with your fingers.
Sauté the onion
Slice the remaining onion. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until it becomes limp and translucent.
Toss the chicken with the onion and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Prepare the tortillas and assemble the enchiladas
To build the enchiladas, you will need to create a three-part assembly line made up of two sauté pans and the plate containing the shredded chicken and onion. You will also need to have an empty plate and the serving platter on hand.
First, Heat the remaining 1/3 cup oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Next, pour the tomatillo sauce into the other sauté pan and place over medium heat.
Now the assembly line: Working with one tortilla at a time, dip a tortilla in the oil and allow it to fry for 15 seconds on each side. Transfer the lightly fried tortilla to the saucepan holding the tomatillo sauce and coat well with the sauce. Transfer to the empty plate, place about 1/4 cup of the shredded chicken in the center, and roll. Place the enchilada on a serving platter seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Once you have finished assembling the enchiladas, pour any remaining tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas and top with sprigs of cilantro and crumbled queso fresco. Serve with Mexican crema and shredded lettuce alongside.