As you’re reading this I will have *fingers crossed* almost made it to Texas! Did I mention we were going to drive down there? From Minneapolis. Coming from a country where you can get from one corner to another in about 7-8 hours, this is no mean feat. Twenty+ hours in the car is…a lot. Of everything. A lot of music, a lot of flat landscape, a lot of podcasts, a lot of hummus. And a lot of my favourite person in the world, luckily.
Anyway, I wanted to just let you know that I’ll be active on Twitter whilst I’m gone, so follow me and say hi!
I read the recipe for these enchiladas and nearly wept. The homemade anaheim chili sauce had my heart captured immediately and I’m pleased to tell you they more than live up to the hype.
In the words of my lovely husband: “pictures: not so great. Enchiladas: amazing.” It’s the truth, friends. Make them and weep.
The star of the show in this enchilada extravaganza is quite obviously the sauce. Charring and blending anaheim peppers with buttermilk just makes them taste so fresh and authentic.
The raw onions are another key element so please don’t fry them! They offer crunch and tang that cooked onions couldn’t compete with.
If these sound like a bit too much work to you then I should let you know how fun it was making them. Recipes with several steps can sometimes drive me bonkers but not this one! The steps are simple and really not that time-consuming. Especially if you have a lovely companion helping you and a beer in your hand. And seriously, they are so, so good!
Enchiladas Verdes
from Muy Bueno Cookbook, via The Kitchn
4 to 6 servings
Ingredient
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 12 Anaheim green chili peppers
- 1/2 cup canola oil for frying
- 1 quart Suero de Sal (whey) OR buttermilk can be used as a substitute
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 12 to 18 corn tortillas, preferably white corn
- 1 1/2 cups white shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Azadero or Muenster)
- 1/4 queso fresco, crumbled
- 1/2 cup crema or sour cream (for sauce and topping)
- Salt (to taste)
- Water (if needed)
Directions
Roast Chili Peppers
Preheat broiler. Select firm, meaty peppers without wrinkles for roasting. Wash thoroughly. Place peppers evenly in a single layer on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Place under broiler. Watch them closely as the skin will blister and turn black within minutes. Turn the peppers after 5 minutes to blister all sides evenly. When done, the pepper skins should be evenly blistered and mostly black. Place roasted peppers in a plastic bag, cover with a kitchen towel and when cool, rub off blackened skin. Tear open and pull out the seed pod and stem.
Sauce
In a blender combine the peppers, flour, and half of the suero or buttermilk and blend until creamy. Pour mixture into medium skillet and set over medium-low heat to warm. Add additional suero or buttermilk and stir. Taste and season with salt, usually about 2 teaspoons. If the sauce is too spicy, add 1/4 cup of crema or sour cream and stir. If the sauce is too thick, add water until desired consistency is reached.
Chicken (Optional)
In a pot with enough water to cover, boil chicken breasts 25 minutes or until juices run clear. Drain, cool, and shred. Optional time-saver: shred a store bought rotisserie chicken.
Stacked Style
Fry tortillas in hot oil until softened. Drain on paper towels. Soften tortillas by soaking in sauce one at a time. Place softened tortillas on individual serving plates. Layer with cooked chicken, cheese, and onion. Repeat process for a total of 3 tortillas for each serving.
Oven Style
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1 cup of the sauce in an ungreased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fry tortillas in hot oil just until softened. Drain on paper towels. Fill with cooked chicken, cheese, and onion. Roll, placing seam side down.
Pour 2 cups of the sauce over enchiladas. Sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco and bake until warm, about 15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of crema or sour cream and your favorite side dish.
