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🍗 Chicken & poultry

Simple enchiladas verdes

Roasty tomatillo comfort with a cheesy bubbling top

⏱️ Time estimate: about 1 hour

Roasted tomatillo sauce gets wrapped up with shredded chicken and cheese in tortillas, then baked until hot, melty, and very ready for cilantro on top.

Baked enchiladas verdes in a casserole dish with melted cheese and cilantro

Ingredients

For the roasted tomatillo sauce

  • 15 medium tomatillos, husks removed
  • 3 jalapeño peppers, ribs and seeds removed
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup fresh packed cilantro
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • Salt, to taste

For the enchiladas

  • 10 or so 8-inch tortillas, corn or flour
  • 12 ounces shredded cheese, like Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack
  • 1 pound cooked chicken, shredded

Instructions

  1. Make the sauce. Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Put the tomatillos and jalapeños on the sheet. Wrap the garlic in foil and add it too. Drizzle everything with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Blend the vegetables and all their juices until pulsed down, then add the cilantro, chicken broth, and sour cream. Blend until smooth and season with salt to taste.
  2. Make the filling. In a large bowl, mix about one third of the sauce, around 2 cups, with the shredded chicken. Stir in about half the cheese.
  3. Assemble the enchiladas. Lower the oven to 400°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish. Fill the tortillas, roll them up, and place them seam-side down in the pan. Cover with another cup or two of sauce and the remaining cheese.
  4. Bake. Bake for about 15 minutes, until bubbly and melty. Top with cilantro, cotija, or red onion if you like.

This makes a generous amount of sauce, so you may have a little extra for later, which feels like a very nice problem.