Roasted Green Chile-Chicken Enchiladas

Yet another adaptation from Mr. Tyler Florence... Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa. I've been making these over the past year or two and I keep coming back to the recipe. I particularly love this recipe because its a one-dish-meal, can be made in advance, freezes well and it easily feeds a crowd. It was for all of those reasons I chose to make these enchiladas this past week for a friend that just had a baby. I divided the recipe into two smaller baking dishes versus the standard 9x13, and took half to my friends. I put the other half in my freezer for John and I to eat this week.

We are in the process of trying to sell our house here in Charleston and searching for a new home in Lexington, KY where we'll be moving this summer for John's residency!! While we are absolutely THRILLED to turn the page to this new chapter (and to move home to my family!), but my goodness, it is A LOT of work!! Thankfully, having a home cooked, oven-ready meal waiting on us this week has saved me.

I started with a package of three bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. I drizzled them with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and roasted on a baking sheet at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes. I used a meat thermometer to check that they were cooked through, looking for 170 degrees. I let them cool and then removed skins and shredded the chicken by hand. I put it into a Tupperware container and stuck it in the fridge for assembly the following day.

Roasted Green Chili:

1 lb tomatillos (husks removed, rinsed well and quartered)

2 poblano peppers (stems and seeds removed, quartered)

1 large yellow onion (cut into big pieces)

4 cloves garlic (peeled)

I layered the vegetables on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. I drizzled them with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and roasted them at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until everything is softened. (They won't really be brown yet.) I let them cool slightly and then transferred everything to the food processor with:

2 tsp cumin

juice of half a lime

1/3 bunch of cilantro (stems removed)

I whirred everything together in the food processor for about 10-15 seconds-leaving it barely chunky. At this point you have a yummy salsa verde. You could serve it chilled with chips as a snack or as a marinade/dipping sauce for grilled chicken, pork or shrimp. It's absolutely delicious.

For the remainder of the enchilada filling, you need:

1 small or half a medium onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/3 cup flour

2 cups chicken stock

I sauteed the onion in some olive oil over medium heat for 6 minutes or so until tender. I then added the garlic and cumin, cooking for a minute longer. Next went in the flour which I mixed well with the veggies before before adding the chicken stock. The flour thickens the stock into a lovely sauce. I used a whisk, stirring constantly over low heat, to ensure there were no chunks of flour remaining. I cooked the sauce for 5 minutes or so before adding my shredded chicken and about half (a little less maybe) of the salsa verde. At this point, I removed everything from the heat to cool some before assembling the enchiladas.

I used Aztec brand tortillas for the first time which I really liked- they are nice and sturdy. The recipe typically makes approx 12 enchiladas so you'll need two packages to be safe. I sprayed my baking dish with Pam (again a 9x13 glass dish or two 8x8 square dishes if you half the recipe) and then rolled them up right in the pan. If you try to fill the tortilla and then pick it back up to place in the dish, everything oozes out the ends. I fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup or heaping spoonful of filling and a generous sprinkle of monterey jack cheese. Its then rolled up and pushed seam side down into the end of the baking dish. Once they are all in, you pour the remaining salsa verde over the top and cover with shredded monterey jack cheese.

If you bake them right away- they only need about 25 minutes at 350 degrees until bubbly and heated through. I cover them with foil for half the bake time then I remove it to brown the cheese a little. If you refrigerate, they'll need 10-15 mins more. If you freeze them, let sit out for a couple of hours and then bake for 45-50 mins.

On the side I serve some combination of fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, freshly sliced avocado, black beans or a super easy Mexican style rice.

Mexican Style Rice:

*1 cup basmati rice

*1 can Rotel poured into a large liquid measuring cup

*fill the same measuring cup with water until the mixture measures 2 cups

Bring to a boil over high heat in a sauce pan. Cover and cook 15 -16 minutes (per rice package directions) until tender.