Enchiladas Suizas

There are many things I never order off the menu when dining out at a Mexican restaurant, and one of those is enchiladas. I have no idea why I don’t order them because I do love them, and everything about them for that matter. I’m probably just stuck in my ways of defaulting to ordering the tacos because darn it, they are just so flipping delicious. Enchiladas are something that I make at home quiet a bit however, and it is something that both my wife and I really find comforting. When I began thinking of making enchiladas, I was reminded by this hole in the wall in Dallas where I first encountered enchiladas suizas, and I fell in love with them.

I would typically have enchiladas with a red chili sauce ladled over the top, however enchiladas suizas is something special, and it is really easy to make. The Swiss were lucky enough to influence Mexico on this dish, and as there are a couple of different ways to go about making these, I find that a simple roasted chili verde sauce, along with a combination of cheeses hits the spot. If you want to go out and make a bechamel sauce, feel free.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

• 5 tomatillos, husks removed
• 2 poblano peppers
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 serrano chilies
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
• salt, to taste
• cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup Mexican crema, or sour cream
• 2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 6 slices of Swiss cheese
• 1 russet potato, peeled (optional), cubed and cooked
• 3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• Corn tortillas
• oil

Start by adding the tomatillos, garlic, peppers, and chilies to a roasting pan. Drizzle with the olive oil. Place in a preheated 425 degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove and immediately place the poblano peppers in a sealed plastic bag to let steam, and hence allow for the skin to be removed.

During this time, add the chicken to a pot of water, and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Pull the chicken apart with a couple of forks. Season with a bit of salt and pepper, and set aside.

If you are using the potato, add to a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, and let cook for about 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain and set aside.

Add the roasted items to food processor, removing the skins from the garlic prior to doing so. Toss in the cilantro.  Revisit those pobalano peppers, and remove the skin from the exterior of the peppers. Remove the stem, slice open and remove all of the seeds. Add the poblanos to the food processor as well.

Pulse until you have a fine sauce. Taste, and season with any salt. Add about 1 cup of this sauce to the bottom of your baking dish. This sauce can actually be used as a salsa as well, so reserve some if you desire. It’s good. It’s really good.

Add the Mexican crema to the rest of the salsa verde, and give a good mix. This is now your creamy salsa verde that will be used on top of your enchiladas before baking.

Lightly brush oil on each corn tortilla, and stack them up. I used about 10 tortillas. Once they are stacked, place them in the microwave for about 45 seconds, until they are warmed through and pliable.

Take a tortilla and add some potato and shredded chicken, then roll, and place seam side down onto the salsa verde in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Pour over the creamy salsa verde, top with the shredded cheese, then place the Swiss cheese slices to cover.

Bake in a 350 degree oven, uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and melted through.

Serve with Mexican or Puerto Rican rice and refried beans.

These enchiladas suizas have comfort food written all over them. I add a bit more of the reserved salsa verde on top as well. Super cheesy with just that great, subtle Swiss cheese flavor, and then the creamy salsa verde is just over the top in flavor. Tender,  and delicious, it is a perfect dish any day of the week and great for leftovers, and who doesn’t love that during a busy work wee, right? Hope you enjoy!

Enchiladas Suizas

Dax Phillips

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course main courses

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 5 to matillos husks removed
• 2 poblano peppers
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 serrano chilies
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup fresh cilantro loosely packed
• salt to taste
• cracked black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• 2 cups Monterey jack cheese shredded
• 6 slices of Swiss cheese
• 1 russet potato peeled (optional), cubed and cooked
• 3 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
• Corn tortillas
• oil

Instructions

 

• Start by adding the tomatillos, garlic, peppers, and chilies to a roasting pan. Drizzle with the olive oil. Place in a preheated 425 degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove and immediately place the poblano peppers in a sealed plastic bag to let steam, and hence allow for the skin to be removed.
• During this time, add the chicken to a pot of water, and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Pull the chicken apart with a couple of forks. Season with a bit of salt and pepper, and set aside.
• If you are using the potato, add to a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, and let cook for about 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain and set aside.
• Add the roasted items to food processor, removing the skins from the garlic prior to doing so. Toss in the cilantro. Revisit those pobalano peppers, and remove the skin from the exterior of the peppers. Remove the stem, slice open and remove all of the seeds. Add the poblanos to the food processor as well.
• Pulse until you have a fine sauce. Taste, and season with any salt. Add about 1 cup of this sauce to the bottom of your baking dish. This sauce can actually be used as a salsa as well, so reserve some if you desire. It’s good. It’s really good.
• Add the Mexican crema to the rest of the salsa verde, and give a good mix. This is now your creamy salsa verde that will be used on top of your enchiladas before baking.
• Lightly brush oil on each corn tortilla, and stack them up. I used about 10 tortillas. Once they are stacked, place them in the microwave for about 45 seconds, until they are warmed through and pliable.
• Take a tortilla and add some potato and shredded chicken, then roll, and place seam side down onto the salsa verde in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
• Pour over the creamy salsa verde, top with the shredded cheese, then place the Swiss cheese slices to cover.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven, uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and melted through.
• Serve with Mexican or Puerto Rican rice and refried beans.
• These enchiladas suizas have comfort food written all over them. I add a bit more of the reserved salsa verde on top as well. Super cheesy with just that great, subtle Swiss cheese flavor, and then the creamy salsa verde is just over the top in flavor. Tender, and delicious, it is a perfect dish any day of the week and great for leftovers, and who doesn’t love that during a busy work wee, right? Hope you enjoy!