Enchiladas Verdes

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By Brian Lagerstrom

Cheesy, saucy enchiladas with crispy edges are absolutely insane. These are better than anything you will find in a restaurant.

Prep Time: 35

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 1 10

Servings: servings

275 g white onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
700 g tomatillos, husked, about 20, you should have 625g after husking & halving
375 g poblano peppers, 3-4 peppers, destemmed and halved
25 g garlic
25 g cilantro, leaves and stems

Generously salt the chicken thighs on both sides and let them sit for 10 minutes.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 375g (1½ cups) of chicken stock and the seasoned chicken thighs. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Try to make sure the chicken thighs are as submerged as possible.
Cover the saucepan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the chicken for about 25 minutes. The thighs will be done when they are shreddable, but not falling apart (For chicken breasts, cook until the internal temperature reaches 155°F/68℃ to avoid dryness.)

Preheat your broiler or oven to its highest setting.
Arrange, in a single layer, the tomatillos, onions, garlic, and poblanos, skin side up on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. You may need two sheet trays depending on the size of the vegetables.
Put the sheet tray on the highest tier in your oven so the contents are as close to the broiler as possible. Broil on high about 10-15 minutes until the vegetables have charred and caramelized.
Transfer the charred vegetables to a blender and blend on high for about 1 minute until smooth. Add in 25g (½ cup) of cilantro to the blender and continue to blend until fully broken down.
By this time, the chicken thighs should be finished cooking. Remove them from their cooking liquid and set them aside to cool slightly.
Pour the pureed tomatillo sauce into the pot with the remaining cooking liquid along with 25 grams (1 ¾ tablespoons) Better Than Bouillon chicken base.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook on medium-low for about 20 minutes, reduce the sauce by roughly 30-40% until it has thickened slightly and has developed a sweeter flavor.
Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Shred the cooked chicken into threads about ¼ inch wide and 2-3 inches long.
In a bowl, combine the shredded chicken with 300 g (half) of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese and 200 g (¾ cup) of the cooked tomatillo sauce and stir until combined.

Heat the tortillas in a non-stick pan over medium heat until they are pliable. Store the hot tortillas in a tortilla warmer or cover them with a dry towel.
On a plate, brush each tortilla with a thin layer of tomatillo sauce on both sides.
Place 65 grams (about 2 heaping tablespoons) of the chicken filling in the center of each tortilla.
Roll up each tortilla tightly and place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Repeat with all tortillas, arranging them in pairs on the sheet.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spread a few large spoonfuls of tomatillo sauce over the top of the enchiladas.
Sprinkle about 40-50 grams (1/4 cup) shredded Monterey Jack cheese over each pair of enchiladas.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
To serve, top with shredded little gem or romaine lettuce for crunch. Add a generous zigzag of the prepared crema (sour cream mixed with water) and sprinkle crumbled queso fresco and fresh cilantro on top.

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