Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas Cooking Light Oct 2013 Food

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.

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.

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.

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.

SALSA VERDE ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place chicken in a medium bowl. Stir 1 cup salsa verde into chicken to evenly coat. Stir in garlic powder and salt/pepper to taste.
• Grease a 13" by 9" glass or ceramic baking dish and set aside.
• In 12-inch skillet, heat remaining salsa verde and lime juice to boiling on medium-high. Boil 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro; keep warm over very low heat.
• With tongs, place 1 tortilla in salsa verde mixture; heat 10 seconds. Place tortilla on waxed paper; top with about 1/3 cup shredded-chicken mixture. Roll up tortilla and place, seam side down, in prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture, arranging 12 tortillas in the dish.
• Stir sour cream and broth into remaining salsa verde mixture in skillet; spoon over filled tortillas. Cover baking dish with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese melts.
• Serve with lime wedges.