Enchiladas Verdes (Green Enchiladas)
These Enchiladas Verdes are a beloved family recipe passed down from my mom and featured in the Muy Bueno cookbook. Made with shredded chicken (or your choice of filling), corn tortillas, and a creamy roasted green chile sauce with a touch of suero or buttermilk, they’re rich, comforting, and full of bold flavor. Serve them rolled or stacked—either way, they’re a crowd-pleasing Mexican classic!
Servings: 5 servings
Ingredients
- 1- pound skinless boneless chicken breast (optional)
- 12 green chile peppers Anaheim, Hatch, Mirasol, or Poblanos
- ½ cup canola oil for frying
- 1 quart Suero de Sal (or 3 cups buttermilk plus 1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema, plus more if needed)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 white onion diced; medium
- 12 - 18 corn tortillas preferably white
- 1 1/2 cups white cheese shredded; Asadero, Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, or Muenster
- 1/4 cup queso fresco crumbled (optional)
- 1/2 cup sour cream or crema; for serving
- salt to taste
- water (if needed)
Instructions
Roast Chili Peppers:
- Preheat broiler. Select firm, meaty peppers without wrinkles for roasting. Wash thoroughly. Place peppers evenly in a single layer on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Place under broiler. Watch them closely as the skin will blister and turn black within minutes. Turn the peppers after 5 minutes to blister all sides evenly. When done, the pepper skins should be evenly blistered and mostly black. Place roasted peppers in a plastic bag, cover with a kitchen towel and when cool, rub off blackened skin, and discard stem.
Sauce:
- In a blender combine the peppers, flour, and half of the suero or buttermilk and crema and blend until creamy. Pour mixture into medium skillet and set over medium-low heat to warm. Add additional suero or buttermilk and crema and stir. Taste and season with salt, usually about 2 teaspoons. If the sauce is too spicy, add ¼ cup of crema or sour cream and stir. If the sauce is too thick, add water until desired consistency is reached.
Chicken (Optional):
- In a pot with enough water to cover, boil chicken breasts 25 minutes or until juices run clear. Drain, cool, and shred. Optional time-saver: shred a store bought rotisserie chicken.
Stacked Style:
- Fry tortillas in hot oil until softened. Drain on paper towels. Soften tortillas by soaking in sauce one at a time. Place softened tortillas on individual serving plates. Layer with cooked chicken, cheese, and onion. Repeat process for a total of 3 to 4 tortillas for each serving.
Time Saver:
- Shred a store bought rotisserie chicken
Oven Style:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1 cup of the sauce in an ungreased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fry tortillas in hot oil just until softened. Drain on paper towels. Fill with cooked chicken, cheese, and onion. Roll, placing seam side down.
- Pour 2 cups of the sauce over enchiladas. Sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco and bake until warm, about 15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of crema or sour cream and your favorite side dish.
Notes
Optional Variations:
- Vegetarian Enchiladas Verdes: Use only cheese, or add sautéed or roasted vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach for extra texture and flavor.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Save time by using store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of poaching.
- Turkey: Enchiladas verdes de pavo are a delicious way to use up leftover holiday turkey.
- Pork: Substitute with spicy pork tinga or tender carnitas.
- DIY Buttermilk: Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup, then fill to the 1 cup line with milk. Stir and let sit for 5–10 minutes to thicken and curdle.
- Too Spicy? Stir in ¼ cup of crema or sour cream to mellow out the heat.
- Too Thick? Add water a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Nutrition
Calories: 866kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 436mg | Potassium: 618mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 554IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 444mg | Iron: 3mg