Enchiladas Verde

Somehow, time has escaped me.  There was plenty of material to blog about in these past two weeks but for the lack of time (and let's face it, laziness on my part, too), I haven't written a word.

But finally, we're back into the swing of things, enjoying the routine-ness in life. And this enchilada verde recipe is a great one to share.  I had never cooked with tomatillos before but it will definitely not be the last time. This tomatillo sauce really makes the dish but I love how distinct all the flavors are - you can really taste all the ingredients (chicken, tortillas, tomatillo salsa and cheese...how could you go wrong?) without any one ingredient overpowering the rest.

While the preparation is pretty easy, it does take some time - 20 minutes to boil the chicken and then 20 more to bake the enchiladas.  It wasn't a quick weeknight meal but was definitely worth it.

Enchiladas Verde
Taken from: A Hint of Honey
Serves: 4

• 2 bone-in chicken breast halves (skin removed)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 lb. fresh tomatillos, husks removed
• 1 serrano pepper (substitute a jalapeno for a milder flavor)
• 1/4 white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 pinch salt
• 12 corn tortillas (or use whole wheat or flour tortillas)
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco (I substituted a combination of shredded cheddar and mozzarella)
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• small bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Boil for 20 minutes. Reserve broth, set chicken aside to cool, and discard onion and garlic. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with your hands.
3. While chicken is cooking, place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a pot with enough water to cover them. Boil until tomatillos turn a different shade of green (from bright green to a dull, army green). Strain tomatillos and chilis, and place in a blender with another quarter piece of onion, 1 clove garlic, and a pinch of salt. Pour in reserved chicken broth, so that liquid just covers the veggies in the blender by about an inch. Blend all ingredients until they are completely pureed. Pour salsa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil.
4. Heat tortillas until soft. In a baking dish, fill each tortilla with shredded chicken and green sauce. Roll tortilla tightly and place seam-side down. Top enchiladas with cheese and chopped onion. 
5. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.