I love enchiladas but they’re kind of a pain to make—all that frying and rolling. The recipe below simplifies things, layering instead of wrapping, omitting the frying, and producing a delicious casserole every bit as good as a classic enchilada.
Poblano peppers, tomatillos and give this casserole fresh green color and a bright zippy flavor. The sauce is warm, but not spicy. If you’d like to punch it up you can add a jalapeno or two to the roasting pan in step one. If you can find fresh tomatillos they’re delicious in this dish, substitute 12 medium sized fresh ones for the can.
INGRIDIENTS:
4 medium poblano peppers
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 large onion, medium dice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz. (793 g) can tomatillos, liquid drained
1 bunch cilantro
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
2 teaspoons (3 ml) honey
4 cups (960 ml) chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, juiced
2 lbs. (910 g) cooked shredded chicken (light and/or dark meat)
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas or 16 (5-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup (240 ml) sour cream
1 1/2 cups (150 g) shredded cheddar
1 1/2 cups (150 g) shredded Monterey Jack
Heat oven to 375°F/190°C.
Arrange the poblanos on a sheet pan and broil 10 minutes or until skin is blackened. Place in a closed paper bag and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Peel off skins under running cold water. Remove seeds and stems, and coarsely chop.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook 5 minutes to soften.
Place drained tomatillos, cilantro, poblanos, cumin and honey in a food processor and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add pepper mix to skillet along with chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Salt and pepper to taste and add lime juice.
Pour a thin layer of sauce across the bottom of an 11 x 7 casserole dish. Add a layer of tortillas (3-4 depending on type) and top with 1/3 of the chicken, 1/3 cup of sour cream, and 1/2 cup of each cheese. Repeat 2 more times.
Place the casserole on a baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
