Stacked Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde
Why I Love This Recipe
This recipe might seem a bit complex, but it's actually quite easy and can be made in stages. Enchiladas are basically Mexican lasagne, and can be made with leftovers or with whatever substitutions you have on hand. This particular recipe came from a recent Bon Appetit, and I think it makes a great, spicy dish.
Ingredients You'll Need
2 poblano chiles (approx. 8 oz total)
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 12 5- to 6-inch diameter corn tortillas
• 4 cups Salsa Verde, divided
• 2 cups shredded roasted chicken, divided
• 3/4 cup sour cream, stirred to loosen, divided
• 6 oz grated Emmenthal, Muenster, or Mexican Chihuahua cheese (approx. 1 1/2 cups packed)
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
Char chiles directly over gas flame or in broiler until blackened all over. Enclose in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed, then cut into 2" x 1/2" strips.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 2 tbsp oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla to skillet; cook until slightly softened, about 15 seconds per side, turning with tongs. Transfer tortilla to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding oil to skillet as needed.
3. Spread 1/2 cup salsa over bottom of 8x8x2" glass baking dish. Arrange 4 tortillas over salsa, covering bottom of dish completely, overlapping slightly and extending about 1 1/2" up sides of dish. Scatter 1 cup chicken over tortillas, then half of poblano strips. Spoon 1 1/2 cups salsa over, spreading evenly. Spoon 1/4 cup sour cream over in small dollops. Cover with 4 tortillas, overlapping slightly. Layer with remaining 1 cup chicken, remaining poblanos, 1 cup salsa, and 1/4 cup sour cream. Cover with remaining 4 tortillas, then 1 cup salsa, and remaining 1/4 cup sour cream. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. Bake casserole until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, about 35 minutes. Cut into six pieces; divide among plates. Sprinkle with cilantro; serve.
I think all the flavors here work perfectly together, but don't let this stop you from swapping things out. If you don't have corn tortillas, use wheat. If you have roasted turkey instead, use that. Of course all things will taste better if they're freshly made, but if you only have jarred salsa, use that.
If you have roasted chicken for dinner one night, and you make the salsa verde and char the chiles another night, you're halfway done. All that's left is to assemble and bake, and you've got a quick but killer weeknight meal.
Something I do when I'm only cooking for myself is to make individual enchiladas. I take a small oven-safe bowl, and cutting the recipe back, I just layer it into that, using one tortilla per layer. It cooks for just about the same amount of time, and when it's over, you don't have to clean a big casserole - just make sure to let the bowl cool a bit before you eat from it, please
