Enchiladas Suizas

Instructions

1. Place the chicken breasts, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and chicken broth in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F and is tender.
2. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Reserve a small amount of the cooking broth to keep the chicken moist.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the green sauce. Roast the tomatillos, poblanos, and serrano peppers under a broiler or over a gas flame until blistered and lightly charred on all sides.
4. Place the roasted peppers in a covered bowl for 10 minutes. Peel away the skins from the poblanos and remove the stems and seeds.
5. Add the roasted tomatillos, poblanos, serranos, onion, garlic, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, and chicken broth to a blender. Blend until smooth.
6. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes.
7. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the Mexican crema. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
8. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
9. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Quickly warm each tortilla for about 10–15 seconds per side until softened and pliable.
10. Dip each warm tortilla lightly into the green sauce.
11. Fill the center of each tortilla with shredded chicken and a small amount of Oaxaca cheese.
12. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
13. Pour the remaining green sauce generously over the enchiladas, making sure the tortillas are well covered.
14. Sprinkle the Oaxaca and Monterey Jack cheeses evenly over the top.
15. Drizzle the remaining Mexican crema over the cheese.
16. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is completely melted.
17. Broil for 1–2 minutes at the end if you want a lightly browned, bubbly cheese topping.
18. Let the enchiladas rest for 5 minutes before serving.
19. Garnish with fresh cilantro, sliced onion, avocado, or queso fresco and serve with lime wedges.

Variations

• Replace the chicken with shredded rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut.
• Add sautéed spinach or mushrooms to the chicken filling for extra vegetables.
• Use leftover turkey instead of chicken.
• Substitute Pepper Jack for Monterey Jack when you want more heat.
• Add a small amount of cream cheese to the sauce for an even richer, silkier texture.

Tips

• Warm the tortillas before rolling to prevent them from cracking or tearing.
• Don’t skip roasting the tomatillos and peppers; the light char adds important depth to the green sauce.
• Add the crema after removing the sauce from high heat to keep it smooth and prevent curdling.
• For the creamiest finish, shred the cheese yourself rather than using pre-shredded cheese.
• Let the enchiladas rest briefly after baking so the sauce settles while the cheese remains perfectly melted.