Enchiladas Verdes is one of the great everyday dishes of Mexican home cooking — a dish that appears on weekly rotation in households across the country, prepared with a simplicity that belies the depth of its flavour. The key is the salsa verde: a vibrant, slightly tart sauce made from tomatillos — those small, husked green tomatoes related to the gooseberry — blended with roasted Serrano or jalapeño chillies, garlic, and coriander.

Tomatillos are the defining ingredient of Mexican green cooking. Their flavour is unlike anything else — bright and slightly sour with an underlying earthiness that gives salsa verde its characteristic depth. When charred under a grill before blending, they develop an additional smoky complexity that transforms the sauce from simply fresh to deeply flavourful. The Serrano chilli provides clean, bright heat; the garlic adds body; and the coriander brings the final herbal freshness.

The technique of briefly frying the tortillas in oil before dipping them in the sauce — known as pasar por aceite — keeps them from becoming soggy and allows them to absorb the salsa without falling apart. This step takes less than 10 seconds per tortilla but makes a significant difference to the final texture of the assembled enchiladas.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 520 kcal   |   Protein: 34g   |   Carbs: 42g   |   Fat: 24g   |   Fiber: 5g

Enchiladas Verdes

Recipe by By butter u0026 berriesCourse: Mexican

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

Ingredients

• •t12 corn tortillas

• •t600g cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works perfectly)

• •tFor salsa verde: 600g tomatillos, husks removed

• •tFor salsa verde: 3 Serrano or jalapeño chillies

• •tFor salsa verde: 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

• •tFor salsa verde: 1/2 white onion

• •tFor salsa verde: large handful fresh coriander

• •tFor salsa verde: salt

• •t200ml chicken stock

• •tVegetable oil for frying tortillas

• •tTo serve: 150ml Mexican crema or sour cream

• •tTo serve: 100g queso fresco or mild feta, crumbled

• •tTo serve: 1/4 white onion, thinly sliced

• •tTo serve: fresh coriander

Directions

• Make salsa verde: place tomatillos, chillies, garlic, and onion on a baking tray. Roast under a high grill for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until charred and softened. Peel garlic. Blend roasted vegetables with fresh coriander and salt until smooth.
• Pour the salsa verde into a wide pan. Add chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Season generously — it should be quite assertive as it will be diluted by the tortillas and chicken.
• Warm the shredded chicken and mix with 3-4 tbsp of the salsa verde to moisten and season it.
• Heat 1cm of vegetable oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Working one at a time, fry each tortilla for 5 seconds per side just to soften and seal. Drain on kitchen paper.
• Dip each fried tortilla briefly in the warm salsa verde. Place 2-3 tbsp of chicken filling in the centre. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in a baking dish.
• Pour remaining salsa verde over the rolled enchiladas. Top with crema and queso fresco.
• Bake at 180C for 15 minutes until heated through and beginning to bubble at the edges. Garnish with raw onion slices and fresh coriander. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Do not skip the brief frying of the tortillas — it prevents them from turning to mush in the sauce.
  Tomatillos are available at Latin grocery stores and online. Canned tomatillos work well as a substitute — drain and use directly without roasting.
  The salsa verde should be more assertive in seasoning than you think necessary before assembly — the tortillas and chicken absorb and dilute the flavour significantly.
  For a vegetarian version substitute the chicken with black beans, roasted squash, and cheese — equally delicious.
  Rotisserie chicken from the supermarket makes this a very achievable weeknight meal without sacrificing any quality

Storage

Assembled enchiladas keep in the fridge for up to 2 days covered tightly. Reheat covered with foil in a 180C oven for 20 minutes. The salsa verde keeps for 5 days refrigerated and freezes well for 3 months.

Serving Tips

Serve immediately from the baking dish with extra crema, sliced raw onion, and fresh coriander on top. Mexican rice and refried beans alongside make this a complete meal. A cold Mexican lager, a paloma cocktail (tequila and grapefruit soda), or agua fresca de pepino are all excellent accompaniments.

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