Cheesy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, For Two!
Enchiladas might seem a little fussy for a weeknight. And truthfully, they do take a bit of work.
But not too much work. Just enough to force you to plan accordingly, but without completely ruining your sched.
So when I feel like making a little something special for dinner, enchis it is. And if they happen to be smothered with pepper jack cheese, so be it.
How bikini-friendly this recipe is comes down to the chee, so be mindful of your sprinkling when prepping. But beyond that caveat, this is a healthy, gluten-free, relatively fast dinner that’s cheesy, spicy, and surprisingly fresh. The secret is my quick-poach cooking method, which renders wondrously tender shredded chicken in about 30 minutes. The gist is to amply season 1/2 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts, then place them in a small, ungreased skillet. Cover with liquid until nearly submerged — here I used chicken broth + lime juice — then poach, covered, over a medium flame until cooked through. The process is surprisingly fast, and it’s pretty much fail-proof, too.
Some step-by-step photos are available in this taco recipe, which you should also make immediately.
Once the chicken is shredded build the enchiladas with a filling of chicken, thinly sliced onion, and diced green chiles. Now I know traditional enchiladas are only supposed to have meat, but… whatever. Delicate extras can add tons of texture + flavor without detracting from an authentic enchi vibe, and this is the perfect example. The yellow onions add a gentle touch of sweetness, while the chiles lend a zesty burst of heat. I used canned green chiles here for an extra-lazy shortcut, but feel free to chop up your own peppers!
Serrano, jalapeño, hatch? All would be delicious.
And to keep this EVEN simpler — I know, great news — I purchased my salsa verde too. You can obviously make your own (this recipe is divine), but purchasing a minimally processed one is the easiest way to go. Some suggestions include Trader Joe’s, Stonewall Kitchen, or Frontera.
With the salsa verde in hand, simply roll up your enchiladas, smother them in salsa verde + cheese, then bake! In less than 20 minutes you’ll have savory, flavorful, joyously cheesy enchiladas the perfect shade of summer green.
Lest we forget: Green food ALWAYS equals health. Always. xo
Cheesy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- a few pinches of salt & pepper
- 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 6 small corn tortillas
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced thin
- 4 oz diced green chiles, divided
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions:
- In a small mixing dish combine the chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt & pepper. Rub this seasoning all over the chicken breasts, then transfer to a small, ungreased skillet.
- In another mixing bowl combine the chicken broth and lime juice, whisking well. Pour this mixture over the chicken breasts until they are nearly submerged, then poach, covered, over a medium flame for 15-20 minutes until each breast reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Once cooked through, transfer chicken to a large cutting board to rest for several minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 350F. Pour several tablespoons of the salsa verde into the bottom of a 9″ baking dish, spreading evenly.
- Use two forks to shred each chicken breast apart. Next, build your enchiladas with a layer of shredded chicken, sliced onion, and green chile in the center of each tortilla, then wrap tightly and place seam side down into the baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas have been rolled, then top with the remaining salsa verde, green chiles, and pepper jack cheese. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until the cheese has melted, then immediately plate and serve!
