Green or Red Enchiladas
Submitted by Zhouma
Chicken enchiladas with two from-scratch sauces: a tangy green tomatillo-spinach sauce with sour cream or a smoky red ancho chile sauce. Topped with melted Monterey Jack.
YIELD
5 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
35 minREADY
65 minThis recipe gives you two completely different enchilada experiences from one base. The green sauce blends tomatillos, fresh spinach, green chiles, and sour cream into something tangy, earthy, and creamy. The red sauce builds deep, smoky flavor from rehydrated ancho chiles simmered with cumin, oregano, and tomato sauce.
Both sauces get pureed silky smooth, which is what separates homemade enchilada sauce from the canned stuff. You actually taste the individual chiles and spices instead of a generic “enchilada flavor."
Dipping each tortilla in the sauce before rolling is key. It softens the tortilla so it doesn’t crack and infuses it with flavor on both sides. Don’t skip this step or you’ll end up with dry, stiff wraps.
Chef Tips
- Soak ancho chiles for a full 30 minutes. Undersoaked chiles won’t blend smooth and leave bitter, tough bits in the sauce.
- For the green sauce, cook the spinach just until wilted. Overcooked spinach turns army green and tastes flat.
- Roll the enchiladas tightly and place seam-side down so they don’t unravel in the oven.
- Both sauces keep in the fridge for up to 10 days, so making a double batch is worth the effort.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Cook and stir onions in oil in a 3-quart saucepan until tender.
Stir in remaining ingredients except broth and sour cream.
Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place mixture in food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade or in a blender container; cover and process until smooth, about 1 minute.
Return mixture to saucepan; stir in broth.
Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Cover and refrigerate any remaining sauce. Makes about 4 cups of sauce. Prepare basic green sauce and stir in the 1 cup of sour cream. Heat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Dip each tortilla into the sauce to coat both sides. Spoon ¼ cup of the shredded chicken onto each tortilla and roll up. Place seam sides down in a 13 X 9 X 2-inch ungreased baking dish . Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Serve warm with sour cream. RED ENCHILADAS: Substitute 2 cups of the Basic Red Sauce for the Basic Green sauce. Substitute 3 cups of shredded cheese or cooked beef for the chicken. Cover chiles with warm water. Let stand until softened, about 30 minutes; drain. Strain liquid; reserve. Remove stems, seeds and membranes from chilies. Cook and stir onion and garlic in oil in a 2-quart saucepan until onion is tender. Stir in chilies, 2 cups of the reserved liquid and the remaining ingredients. Heat ot boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes; cool. Pour into a food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade or into a blender container; cover and process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate up to 10 days. Makes about 2½ cups sauce.
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