Enchiladas Verdes
Ingredients
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- 6 cups water
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt – for poaching water
- 2 cloves garlic cloves – crushed (for poaching)
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, bone-in skin-on
- 24 ounces tomatillos – husked and rinsed (~21 medium tomatillos)
- 3 chiles serrano chiles – stems removed
- 1/2 medium white onion – chopped
- 2 cloves garlic cloves – peeled
- 1 cups cilantro – leaves and tender stems, packed
- 1 cups chicken broth – reserved from poaching chicken
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil – for frying salsa
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt – for seasoning salsa
- 1/2 cups vegetable oil – for frying tortillas
- 12 tortillas corn tortillas
- Mexican crema – for serving
- queso fresco – crumbled (for serving)
- 1/4 medium white onion – thinly sliced (for garnish)
- cilantro – chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
1. In a wide pot, combine the water, kosher salt (for poaching water), crushed garlic cloves, and bay leaf; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Add the chicken breasts, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook until opaque throughout and the thickest part registers 165°F, 20–25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate to cool. Keep the pot at a low simmer and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid; discard the bay leaf.
3. When cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones and shred the chicken into bite-size strands; cover to keep warm.
4. Add the tomatillos and serrano chiles to the simmering liquid and cook until the tomatillos turn olive-green and are just tender when pierced, 6–8 minutes. Lift tomatillos and chiles out with a slotted spoon into a blender.
5. To the blender, add the chopped white onion, peeled garlic cloves, cilantro (leaves and tender stems), and the reserved 1 cup chicken broth. Blend until very smooth, 45–60 seconds.
6. Heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Carefully pour in the blended salsa (it will sputter) and simmer, stirring often, until slightly thickened and the raw edge has cooked off, 5–7 minutes. Season with the kosher salt for salsa and reduce heat to low to keep warm.
7. In a small skillet, heat the 0.5 cup vegetable oil over medium-high until shimmering. Working one tortilla at a time, fry 5–10 seconds per side until pliable but not crisp. Drain on a paper-towel-lined tray.
8. Set up a station with the warm salsa, shredded chicken, and tortillas. Working one at a time, dip a tortilla in the salsa to lightly coat, place about 1/4 cup shredded chicken along the center, and roll into a tight cylinder. Transfer to warm plates or a platter and repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken.
9. Spoon more salsa generously over the enchiladas so they are well sauced.
10. Garnish with Mexican crema, crumbled queso fresco, thinly sliced onion, and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
Enchiladas Verdes are tender corn tortillas filled—most often with juicy shredded chicken—and bathed in a bright, tangy tomatillo-and-chile salsa. The sauce balances the citrusy-acidic snap of tomatillos with the fresh heat of serrano chiles, rounded out by onion, garlic, and cilantro. Finished with cool crema, crumbly queso fresco, and snappy raw onion, the dish layers soft, saucy textures with creamy and fresh toppings in every bite.
Rooted in central Mexican home cooking and fonda fare, enchiladas trace back to pre-Hispanic traditions of dipping nixtamalized corn tortillas in chile-based sauces. Salsa verde built on tomatillos—native to Mexico—became a natural pairing, yielding the beloved enchiladas verdes seen across Mexico City and beyond. While fillings and toppings vary by region and household, the core technique of lightly frying tortillas, passing them through a cooked salsa, and serving immediately remains a defining hallmark.