Enchiladas Suizas
We have done many episodes on enchiladas. This one came out as one of our best. Enchiladas Suizas, cooked in individual oven safe dishes is absolutely amazing and the answer to your problem of family members arriving for dinner at different times!
Things to know:
What is the difference between enchiladas suizas and regular enchiladas?
Enchiladas Suizas are a specific type of enchilada that uses a creamy, mild green sauce made with tomatillos, cream, and sometimes cheese, unlike “enchiladas” which can refer to many varieties with different sauces (like red or mole) and toppings. The “Suizas” or “Swiss” name comes from the use of dairy, and these are often topped with a melty cheese like Chihuahua or Oaxaca, and can be garnished with sour cream and cilantro
What is the origin of enchiladas?
Enchiladas are a brilliant combination of Mexican and Spanish cuisine. Enchiladas originated in Mexico with ancient Mesoamerican civilizations like the Mayans and Aztecs, who ate simple corn tortillas dipped in chili sauce. The dish was later adapted by the Spanish, who introduced new ingredients like meats, and it became the dish known today.
How are enchiladas traditionally prepared?
Traditionally, enchiladas are prepared by dipping corn tortillas in a hot chili sauce and quickly pan-frying them before adding a filling, folding them, and often topping them with garnishes like cheese, onion, or crema. Unlike Tex-Mex versions where the sauce is poured over rolled enchiladas, traditional preparation involves “layering” the flavor by cooking the tortilla with the sauce on the griddle.
What are the main ingredients for enchiladas?
There are many ways to make delicious enchiladas. Generally speaking, you need tortillas (corn are traditional, but you can also make them with flour tortillas), sauce (the three main types are red, which are chile based, green which are tomatillo based, or cream, which is mostly used for seafood, though it pairs well with chicken as well, your protein of choice: beef, pork, lamb, goat, seafood, etc., and cheese. Lotsa cheese if you ask us!
Ingredients:
2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed
Fresh chiles to taste (we used 1 poblano and 1 jalapeño. If you like it spicier, use 3 serranos or 2 jalapenos or some mixture of the 2), stemmed
1 medium (6-ounce) white onion, sliced ½-inch thick
2 T vegetable oil, plus a little extra for brushing or spraying the tortillas
2 cups chicken broth, plus a little extra if needed
1/2cup Mexican crema, crème fraiche or heavy (whipping) cream
About 2 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken, preferably grilled, roasted or rotisserie chicken (we used smoked chicken thighs that had been brined overnight in Sweetwater Spice Company’s Tres Chiles brine, seasoned with Cattleman’s Mexicano Rub)
12 corn tortillas
About 1 cup shredded Mexican melting cheese like Chihuahua or Monterey Jack, brick or mild cheddar
A few quarter of a white onion, diced, for garnish/texture
A few sprigs of cilantro for garnish
1. Set your smoker to 225F. Season the chicken thighs with your favorite Mexican rub (we also brined ours overnight).
2. Chuck your chicken into the smoker for 1 hours.
3. Remove the thighs, then chop into small bite sized chunks. Set aside.
4. Spread out the tomatillos, the chiles and the onion onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast under a preheated broiler until blackening and soft on one side (about 6 minutes), then flip everything over and roast on the other side.
5. Cool and place everything (including any juices) into a blender and process until nearly smooth (a little texture preserves the beautiful homemade quality of the sauce).
6. Heat the oil in a large (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high. When hot enough to make a drop of the puree sizzle sharply, add it all at once and cook, stirring nearly constantly, until nearly as thick as tomato paste, 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Stir in the chicken broth and crema (or one of its stand-ins), then simmer for a few minutes to bring the flavors together. The sauce should be the consistency of a light cream soup: if thicker, add a little more broth; if thinner, simmer a little while longer.
8. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1 ½ teaspoons, cover and keep warm over low heat.
9. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Stir about ½ cup of the sauce into the chicken to moisten it, then warm it in a small saucepan or in the microwave oven at 100% power for about 1 minute.
10. Brush or spray both sides of each tortilla with a light coating of oil, slide them into a plastic bag, fold the bag over (but don’t seal) and microwave at 100% power for 1 minute. Let stand one minute.
11. Smear a couple tablespoons of sauce over the bottom of each of four to six 9-inch ovenproof baking/serving dishes or smear a scant cup over the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
12. Two or 3 at a time, lay hot tortillas on the countertop, top each with a portion of chicken, roll up and lay into the baking dish(es).
13. Douse evenly with the remaining sauce, then sprinkle with the cheese.
14. Bake until the cheese is beginning to brown (about 5 minutes) and serve right away, garnished with onion rings and cilantro. ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Yoder YS640s Smoker
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