Zesty Chicken Enchiladas

You might be wondering what, precisely, “zesty” means. We can sum it up for you in a couple of words: super flavor. In Spanish one might say, “que rico!” These cheesy corn tortillas get their punch from a homemade enchilada sauce. Fresh tomatillos, available in supermarkets in the fall, are a star ingredient. If you can’t find them, try using underripe tomatoes and a squeeze of lime juice for a convenient substitute. If you’re used to shaving off time with store-bought sauce (which isn’t bad), don’t give into the temptation; shredded rotisserie chicken is the timesaver here.

zesty-chicken-enchiladas-0
Photo by Dana Gallagher
Zesty Chicken Enchiladas 3.9 188 5 1
Rating
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Read Reviews
  • Serves 4
  • Hands-On Time
  • Total Time
  • Nutritional Information
    Close

    Nutritional Information

    Per Serving

    • Calories 813 calories
    • Calories 54 calories from fat
    • Fat 49 g
    • Sat Fat 24 g
    • Cholesterol 239 mg
    • Sodium 1034 mg
    • Protein 55 g
    • Carbohydrate 38 g
    • Sugar 9 g
    • Fiber 7 g
    • Iron 4 mg
    • Calcium 378 mg
You might be wondering what, precisely, “zesty” means. We can sum it up for you in a couple of words: super flavor. In Spanish one might say, “que rico!” These cheesy corn tortillas get their punch from a homemade enchilada sauce. Fresh tomatillos, available in supermarkets in the fall, are a star ingredient. If you can’t find them, try using underripe tomatoes and a squeeze of lime juice for a convenient substitute. If you’re used to shaving off time with store-bought sauce (which isn’t bad), don’t give into the temptation; shredded rotisserie chicken is the timesaver here.

Ingredients

  1. Check 1 tablespoon canola oil
  2. Check 1 pound tomatillos (papery skins removed), chopped
  3. Check 1 onion (preferably white), chopped
  4. Check 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
  5. Check 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  6. Check ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  7. Check kosher salt and black pepper
  8. Check 1 cup heavy cream
  9. Check 1 2- to 2½-pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
  10. Check 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
  11. Check 1 1/4 cups grated Monterey Jack (5 ounces)
  12. Check 8 6-inch corn tortillas
  13. Check Pico de Gallo or salsa

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillos, onion, poblano, garlic, cumin, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add the cream, and puree.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, tomatoes, 1 cup of the cheese, ½ cup of the tomatillo sauce, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
  3. Warm the tortillas according to the package directions. Spread 1 cup of the remaining sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Roll the chicken mixture in the tortillas and place them in the dish, seam-side down.
  4. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake until beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with Pico de Gallo.

Real Simple Digital Products