Enchiladas Verdes Lite Green Chicken Enchiladas Food

ENCHILADAS VERDES (GREEN ENCHILADAS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Place the chicken breasts in a stock pot along with 1⁄2 an onion and salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• Remove chicken from the water and let cool slightly. Shred chicken with two forks and set aside.
• Mince the remaining onion and add to the shredded chicken.
• In batches place 6 tortillas on a microwave safe dish and microwave 40 to 50 seconds to make them pliable so they don't crack. Keep them covered with a dish cloth to stay warm, then working one by one dip each warm tortilla in green salsa. Scoop two rounded tablespoons into each tortilla and roll tightly and place in a large casserole dish, seam side down, in a single layer. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and chicken.
• Drench entire pan with 1 cup sauce and sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco.
• Bake, covered in oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with sour cream or additional queso fresco, if desired.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH SALSA VERDE, GUACAMOLE AND LIME CREMA

Steps:

• For the enchiladas: Add the cumin seeds to a large, dry saute pan. Heat over medium-low and toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 5 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and process until finely ground.
• Season the chicken thighs liberally with kosher salt. Add the olive oil to a large, high-sided saute pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, slice into strips and set aside.
• Add the onion and a splash of beer to deglaze and release the chicken bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir to combine and cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the jalapeno and continue to cook until the onions and jalapeno are soft, another 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic, cilantro stems, sliced chicken, the remaining beer, toasted ground cumin and chipotle powder. Slice the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the pan, then drop the squeezed lime halves directly into the pan. Stir to combine and adjust seasoning with kosher salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Continue to cook until the chicken starts to pull apart and most of the liquid has cooked away but the pan still has some moisture, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the lime halves and discard.
• For the salsa verde: Preheat a cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat. Place the tomatillos and jalapeno onto the pan and roast, turning occasionally on all sides, until soft and charred, 10 minutes. Remove from the pan. Slice the jalapeno in half and remove half the seeds (or leave the seeds in if you prefer a more spicy salsa verde). Add the garlic, cilantro, roasted tomatillos and jalapeno, lime zest, lime juice, olive oil and kosher salt to taste to a blender and puree until smooth.
• For the guacamole: Combine the avocado, tomato, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, lime zest and lime juice in a bowl and mash together but leave some texture. The guacamole should be chunky.
• For the crema: Mix the crema, lime zest and lime juice together in a bowl.
• To assemble, preheat the oven to broil. Scoop 1/4 cup salsa verde into the bottom of 4 small baking dishes and use a spatula to evenly distribute. Warm the corn tortillas on the cast iron griddle over medium heat until slightly toasty and pliable. Scoop about 1/4 cup of chicken filling into each tortilla and roll. Place into the baking dish, seam-side down, and repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, using 2 tortillas per serving dish. Top each with another 1/4 cup sauce, 1/2 cup Monterey jack and the crumbled cotija. Transfer to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and melted, about 5 minutes. Serve with the guacamole and crema.

ENCHILADAS VERDES DE POLLO

Steps:

• Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Roast on the lower rack until the skin is lightly golden and the chicken is cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle.
• While the chicken is roasting, spread the tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos and onion on a second rimmed baking sheet. Roast on the top rack, tossing once or twice, until the tomatillos are tender and the jalapenos are browned and very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool.
• Once the chicken is cool, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into 1/2-inch pieces. Put into a large bowl and set aside.
• Meanwhile, char the poblanos. Turn your gas burner to high. Place 2 to 3 poblanos directly on the grate and roast, turning with tongs every 3 to 4 minutes, until the entire pepper is blackened and very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and repeat with the remaining poblanos. (Alternatively, if you have an electric stove, arrange the poblanos on a rimmed baking sheet and broil on high as close to the heat source as possible, turning occasionally, until the peppers are charred on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl.)
• Wrap the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the poblanos steam for 15 minutes to loosen their skin. When they are cool enough to handle, peel all the blackened skin from the peppers; it's ok if there are flecks of black on the flesh or if some of the green skin is difficult to peel off. Split the sides open to remove the seeds, rinsing under cold running water if needed. Transfer the cleaned peppers to a blender.
• Remove the skin from the garlic cloves and add to the blender along with the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion and any accumulated juices. Add the coriander, cumin, oregano and a 1 ½ teaspoons of salt and puree on medium-low speed until smooth. Add the cilantro and puree on low speed until the cilantro is chopped but you can still see pieces of it in the sauce. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl and generously season with salt. You should have about 5 cups.
• Toss the reserved chicken with 3/4 cup of the salsa verde in a large bowl and generously season with salt.
• Heat the remaining 1 cup oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it bubbles immediately when you touch the edge of a tortilla to the surface. Working with one at a time, fry the tortillas, turning once, until just starting to brown, about 10 seconds per side; the tortillas should still be pliable. Transfer the tortillas to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
• Dip both sides of each tortilla in salsa verde to coat, and then transfer to a large plate. Spread 1 cup of the salsa verde evenly over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken filling across the center of a tortilla. Then fold one side of the tortilla over the filling and roll up the enchilada. Place them seam-side down in the prepared baking dish as you go (they should be nestled right up against each other). Top with any remaining salsa verde.
• Wrap the dish tightly with foil and bake on the upper rack until the sauce is bubbling and the tortillas are beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the creme fraiche and milk in a small bowl. Season with salt.
• Top the enchiladas with the queso fresco, crema, cilantro leaves and onion slices. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

ENCHILADAS VERDES (GREEN CHICKEN ENCHILADAS)

Steps:

• At least 2 hours before you'd like to eat, place the chicken, 1 garlic clove, the bay leaf, peppercorns and a quarter of the onion in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to very low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
• Remove the chicken legs, thighs and breasts with tongs or a slotted spoon and let cool. Discard the chicken backs and strain the stock; set aside.
• Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Set aside.
• Place the tomatillos in a large saucepan. Add the remaining 2 cloves garlic, peeled, and 2 quarters of the onion. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium heat until the tomatillos turn pea green and soften, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. (Vegetarians can reserve the cooking water, turn up the flame, and reduce for 15 to 20 minutes, to use in lieu of chicken stock, if they choose.)
• Stem the chiles and chop roughly with the cooked garlic. Add to a blender jar with half of the tomatillo mixture, and 1/2 cup of the strained chicken stock. (If you have a high-powered blender, toss all the ingredients in at once.) Blend until smooth. Add the remaining tomatillo-onion mixture and 1 teaspoon salt, and blend again until smooth.
• Warm 1 tablespoon lard in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the sauce in one quick pour, being careful as it might splatter. Cook until the flavors meld, about 5 minutes.
• Heat 2 teaspoons lard in a small skillet over medium heat and swirl to coat the bottom. Fry the tortillas lightly, one at a time, until slightly tougher but still pliable, about 30 seconds per side. (They shouldn't be crisp.) As you work, remove the fried tortillas to serving plates-I like to serve 4 tortillas per person. Fold the tortillas in a half-moon shape and make sure they sit in an even layer on each plate.
• Dice the remaining quarter of onion. Ladle 3/4 cup sauce over over each serving of tortillas, spreading slightly so the tortillas are entirely smothered in sauce. Add a layer of diced onion and cilantro, a layer of shredded cheese, a layer of chicken, some crema and another layer of sauce. Top with another light sprinkling of diced onion.

ENCHILADAS VERDES LITE (GREEN CHICKEN ENCHILADAS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a blender or food processor, add salsa, cilantro and lemon juice to taste, and peeled garlic cloves. Mix until garlic is well chopped and blended into mixture.
• In a bowl, blend half the salsa mixture, shredded chicken, and half the mozzarella.
• Spoon equal amounts of chicken mixture into each tortilla, roll, and place in a large baking dish.
• Top with the remainder of the salsa mixture and sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese.
• Heat in oven until warm or until salsa and cheese are bubbly.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS VERDES

Steps:

• Shred chicken.
• Mix chicken with 3/4 cups salsa verde, 1 1/2 cups cheese, 1/4 cup cilantro, salt, and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spread 1 cup salsa over bottom of a 9 X 13 inch baking dish.
• Microwave tortillas on high in MICROWAVE SAFE plastic bag until warm, about 45 seconds. (So they are easier to roll.).
• Working one at a time, spoon about 1/4 cup chicken filling onto a tortilla-roll into a cylinder and place, seam side down, in baking dish.
• Drizzle enchiladas with 1 1/2 cups of salsa, sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Lightly spray sheet of foil with cooking spray, cover dish and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
• Remove foil-sprinkle with onion and remaining cilantro-let stand a few minutes.
• Serve with remaining salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
• Note about freezing: Make up filling through step 2, freeze, defrost in fridge 24 hours before, and proceed with remaining part of recipe.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Prepare the chicken: Place chicken parts in a large saucepan with onion, garlic and salt, and cover with water. Heat pan over high heat until liquid comes to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove chicken and let cool, reserving stock for another use. Using your fingers or two forks, shred meat from chicken and reserve, discarding skin and bones. (Alternatively, shred meat from leftover or store-bought roast chicken and set aside.)
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 375, and make the salsa verde: Combine tomatillos, onion, garlic, serranos and cilantro in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth, adding water as needed to thin it out a little. Season with salt to taste.
• Prepare the tortillas: In medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat, heat oil until it begins to shimmer. Using tongs or a wide spatula, place a tortilla in the hot fat; it should start to bubble immediately. Heat tortilla for about 10 seconds a side, until soft and lightly browned. Remove tortilla and set on a rack set over a baking pan, or just on a baking pan if you don't have a rack. Repeat with remaining tortillas, working quickly.
• Assemble the enchiladas: Use a ladle to put about 1/2 cup salsa verde in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it out a little. Roll a few tablespoons of shredded chicken into each tortilla with a teaspoon or so of salsa verde and place it seam-side down in the pan, nestling each one against the last. Ladle salsa verde over top of rolled tortillas and sprinkle with about half the crumbled cheese.
• Transfer to oven and bake until sauce bubbles and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Dot with crema, sprinkle with remaining cheese and, if using, chopped onion, then serve immediately.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH GREEN CHILE SAUCE (SALSA VERDE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Combine chicken, onion mixture, cheese blend, cream cheese, salsa verde, olives, cilantro, and jalapenos in a large bowl for the filling. Mix well.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, then chicken broth. Cook until sauce starts to thicken, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in sour cream and salsa verde; cook until heated through. Spread a spoonful of sauce over the bottoms of two 9x11-inch casserole dishes.
• Wrap a tortilla in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 30 seconds. Fill with the chicken mixture, roll up, and place seam-side down into a baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas until each dish holds 8 enchiladas.
• Spoon remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle cheese on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 20 minutes.

ENCHILADAS VERDES (GREEN ENCHILADAS) WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400. Toss together chicken, chiles, cheese, and a cup of chile sauce.
• Dip a tortilla in the oil to soften in or brush each tortilla with oil.
• Bake for 5 minutes to soften. Remove from oven and lower temperature to 350.
• Lay a tortilla flat and fill with about 1/4 cup of filling down the center.
• Bring edges over filling to close it.
• Lay tortilla seam-side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Repeat until all of the tortillas are filled.
• Pour remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with cotija.
• Bake for 20 minutes.

COOKING LIGHT ENCHILADAS VERDES

Steps:

• Asadero, originally from Mexico, is a semisoft cow's milk cheese with a bright, pungent flavor.
• To prepare salsa verde, discard husks and stems from tomatillos; cut into quarters. Combine tomatillos, 1 1/4 cups broth, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and chopped jalapeño in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tomatillos are tender. Cool slightly. Place salsa verde in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth or mash with a potato masher. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add salsa verde; cook until reduced to 2 cups (about 1 minute).
• Preheat oven to 400°.
• To prepare enchilada filling, combine chicken and next 9 ingredients (chicken through black pepper) in a large bowl.
• Spread 1/2 cup salsa verde in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture downcenter of each tortilla; roll up. Arrange enchiladas, seam sides down, crosswise in dish. Pour remaining salsa verde evenly over enchiladas. Cover and bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with sour cream, and garnish with sliced jalapeño, if desired.