2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed (10-14, depending on the size) or 3 cups purchased tomatillo salsa or salsa verde
1 medium white onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
2-3 jalapeño peppers, stem end cut off. If you don’t like a lot of heat, slice them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds and white pith
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems (remove thick stems), plus more cilantro leaves for garnishing
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (2-3 large cloves)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Enchiladas
12 6-inch soft corn tortillas
3½ cups shredded cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)
2 tablespoon sour cream, plus more for garnishing
4 ounces Cotija cheese, grated
6 ounces grated cheddar cheese
Directions
If you want to cook your own chicken for this (I used a rotisserie chicken) you can pan-sear 2 pounds of chicken breasts in a heavy skillet, over medium heat, with a little oil, for about 7 minutes per side, until they are cooked through. Then shred.
Make the salsa verde: Preheat oven to Broil. In a large bowl toss tomatillos, onion and jalapeños with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Lay them out on a baking tray with low sides. Roast them in the hot oven for 7 minutes, until there are some brown spots on the tomatillos. Lower the oven temp to 400F. Turn the tomatillos over with tongs. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the tomatillos are softened. Transfer the roasted vegetables to the bowl of a food processor. Add cilantro, garlic and salt. Pulse several times until you get your preferred consistency. I like my salsa a bit chunky. You should have about 4 cups of salsa.
Make the Enchiladas Set oven heat to 350F. Spread 1 cup of salsa into the bottom of a large baking dish. In a medium bowl mix shredded chicken with 1 cup of salsa, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, and 4 ounces Cotija cheese. Set aside while you soften the tortillas.
Soften the tortillas: heat a skillet to medium high (preferably cast iron). Place a tortilla in the skillet, pressing it against the heat with a spatula, for about 10 seconds per side. Transfer warm tortilla to a clean dish towel and fold towel over it to keep it warm. Repeat with all of the tortillas, continuing to stack them inside the dish towel.
Garnish with sour cream, thinly sliced red onion, and cilantro leaves. Serve with remaining salsa on the side.
* Wine Pairing: “One of my favorite dishes that winery chef Sarah Matthews makes is chicken enchiladas, and one of my favorite wines to pair with it is crisp Chardonnay with just a hint of oak. The Talley Vineyards Estate Chardonnay is a perfect example.” – Brian Talley
