Creamy Chicken Enchiladas Verdes with Charred Tomatillo Sauce

I have a soft spot for melted cheese.

No, really – it’s right in that area where my pants are supposed to be buttoned.

As someone who’s known for their cooking, people often ask me what my favorite thing to make is.

Ugh. I hate that question.

Of course I have a handful of staples that my husband would gladly eat three times a day. But do I have a favorite dish that gets my culinary juices flowing on the reg?

Meh.

I can throw together a red coconut curry in my sleep. I could develop a new pizza every day. I’m kind of a master of braised chicken thighs with Madeira and mushrooms.

Do I have to pick just one?

If you ask me about my favorite ingredient, on the other hand, I will reply without hesitation: the answer is cheese.

Sometimes I lie in bed at night and realize that everything I ate that day contained some form of cheese. Scrambled eggs with goat cheese. Gouda cheese and crackers. Hefty shredded beef and cheddar chimichangas. Naan flatbreads with ricotta.

Not that I’m saying there’s a problem here. I’m just saying that I really, really like cheese.

So, when it comes to enchiladas (basically a dish that’s meant to be unapologetically smothered in cheese), I ask myself only one question:

How can I make it even creamier?

I have recently been making many a roux.

For those who are unfamiliar, a standard roux is a marriage of equal parts fat (typically butter) and flour. A creamy substance – often milk – is streamed in once the flour is cooked and vigorously whisked to create a bechamel.

Now that I’ve been making this decadent mixture often, I understand why bechamel is referred to as a mother sauce.

It’s really mother you-know-what-ing good.

In an enchilada filling, the protein (whether it be shrimp or potato or any other kind of filling) typically isn’t folded into a luxuriously silky pool of half-and-half and savory chicken broth. But that was before those enchiladas met me.

A store-bought rotisserie chicken makes this process all the more easy, and I say go for it. You’re already making a tomatillo salsa and a bechamel from scratch. Buy the chicken, bro.

If I spy tomatillo salsa, also known as salsa verde, on a restaurant menu, I’ll do whatever I can to find a way to incorporate it into my meal. Whether it’s dressing tacos or taking enchiladas for a deep dive into the tart, fruity condiment, I can’t turn it down.

In this Mexican-influenced dish, flour tortillas are stuffed and rolled with a saucy mixture of shredded chicken and mild Jack cheese, saturated in a homemade tomatillo salsa, topped with even more cheese (obvi), and baked until ooey-gooey.

The salsa comes together in a snap, and I love peeking through the oven door as the tomatillos’ green halves begin to bubble and char, not to mention the aroma of the garlic beginning to caramelize, and the serrano peppers becoming even more sassy.

Who needs air fresheners?

And if you have your own vegetable garden at home with some space for a few tomatillo plants to make your own homegrown sauces, more power to you. Talk about local!

These enchiladas are the model make-ahead meal, they freeze like a boss, and they will fill you with happiness.

And cheese.

Well, I guess that’s the same thing…

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Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Chop Vegetables and Measure Ingredients

Adjust your oven rack to a position about 4 inches below the broiler, and turn the broiler on high.

Peel away the husks from the tomatillos, then rinse them well under cool running water and rub them gently to remove any sticky residue.

Slice the tomatillos, onions, and serranos in half, and remove the seeds and ribs from the chilies.

Step 2 – Broil the Vegetables

On a large baking sheet lined with foil, arrange the tomatillos cut side down with the onion, chilies, and 2 of the garlic cloves, with their skins on. Broil until everything is lightly charred.

Allow the garlic to cool, and then slide the cloves from their shells.

Step 3 – Make the Salsa

Combine the roasted garlic and broiled vegetables in a blender or food processor with the lime juice, 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Pulse until the mixture reaches the consistency of a semi-chunky salsa, scraping down the sides with a spatula if you need to.

If you wanted to stop right here and use this as a chip dip, you would be good to go. And if you’re in a rush, you could plunk down a jar of premade salsa right here instead, or a homemade batch that you already had on hand, and proceed with the recipe.

Step 4 – Reduce

Add the salsa to a medium skillet over high heat. Whisk vigorously while the salsa simmers, and cook until it thickens slightly.

Remove the reduced sauce from heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro, and set aside.

Step 5 – Make the Cream Sauce

Mince the remaining 2 cloves of garlic, with a sharp knife or your garlic press.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter begins to foam and sizzle, add the minced garlic and green onions. Save the green tops for another use, or use them as garnish before serving.

Season with salt, pepper, and cumin, and saute until the onions begin to soften.

To make a roux, sprinkle the flour over the garlic and onions and whisk to incorporate.

Continue stirring until the flour is no longer raw, and then slowly pour in the chicken stock and the half-and-half, whisking as you pour to make sure there are no lumps.

Continue stirring until the liquid has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 6 – Combine Ingredients

Whisk 1/4 cup of the tomatillo salsa into the cream sauce, and fold in the shredded chicken.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 7 – Assemble

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spread the bottom of a large baking dish with a few tablespoons of the tomatillo sauce.

Place a scoop of the creamy chicken mixture in a tortilla and sprinkle it with cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and tightly roll it to enclose everything inside.

Add the enchilada to the baking dish, and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Pour the remaining tomatillo sauce over the stuffed enchiladas and top with the rest of the shredded cheese.

Bake until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden on top. You can also use the broiler to brown the cheese even further, just keep an eye on it as the top will burn quickly.

Step 8 – Prep Garnish and Serve

Dice the tomatoes, and cut one or two limes into wedges. Divide the enchiladas among plates and garnish with the remaining cilantro, tomatoes, and lime wedges.