All this week I’ve been dreaming of the warm Mexican sun, of stretching out on the hot sand, and walking into the ocean.
I fell asleep in yoga class today and was momentarily back in Mexico again. I’ve been home a week and already the place feels only like a memory. And I realized I’m not eating as well here as I ate in Mexico where I lived on fresh fruit and spicy cacahuates (peanuts), grilled fish with fresh lime, and “caliente” salsas and sauces.
I have a whole list of Mexican dishes I want to make including ceviche, a traditional molé, and empanadas. But for tonight – I’m making do with these green chicken enchiladas. The chicken isn’t really green. It’s green enchilada sauce that gives the dish its name. And I didn’t make the sauce from scratch since tomatillos (WordPress spell checker suggested I used the word armadillos instead of tomatillos!) are pretty hard to come by in the Canadian winter. I used a canned version made in Mexico. It, or something like it, is commonly available in supermarkets.
This is Mexican comfort food. SO good. It really does taste like Mexico.
enchiladas de verde pollo or green chicken enchiladas
- 2 cups cooked chicken cut in chunks (1 large breast or 2 small)
- 3 cups grated cheese (divided in half)
- 1 cup cooked rice (optional)
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped (I used tinned)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 small (296ml) can mild green chile enchilada sauce – (if you use a hotter sauce you can skip the jalapeño peppers above)
- sour cream, avocados, tomatoes, etc. to garnish
- 10 small wheat or corn tortillas (I used whole wheat)
Using the food processor, pulse the chicken until it is finely shredded or minced; then mince the onion, the jalapeños, and the cheese the same way. Mix the chicken, onion, jalapeños, and half the cheese in a large bowl. Add the cooked rice and cumin. Stir the mixture well.
Spread out the tortillas on a large surface. Using a 1/4 cup measure or ice cream scoop – divide the chicken mixture evenly between the tortillas.
Wrap the tortillas tightly, and place seam side down in a lightly greased Pyrex lasagna pan. Cover with the enchilada sauce and top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes or until heated throughout and browned.
Serve with sour cream and chopped tomatoes and avocados to garnish.
♥ Jam Tart ♥ 
I LOVE Mexican food…. I think the only thing better than enjoying this dish might be creating it together with a dear friend…..
Yes – we should definitely make this one together. SO good! xo
These look delicious…even with out the armadillo 😉 And welcome to Fiesta Friday…glad I met you & your blog there!
Thank you Nancy. Sometime I must do a blog post WITH all the WordPress corrections. Imagine a sauce made of armadillos! Glad to meet you too!
Mmm, how delicious! I love Mexican food. That finished dish with all the enchiladas lined up looks incredible!
Thank you! I’m having a fling with Mexico!
Tomatillos, Armadillos….close enough! 😉
This looks great! Love green sauces. And I must say I am really looking forward to your ceviche!
Jessica
This made me laugh Jessica! Do you love green sauces with or without armadillos? Poor armadillos. xo Lindy
Oh, these look so yummy! I haven’t made enchiladas in so long and now you have me salivating over your recipe. Your blog is beautiful, by the way!
Hi Chef Julianna – thanks for the lovely comment. Nice to meet you and look forward to following your blog.
I need to try this soon. We love enchiladas over here!
Hi Patty – I also love enchiladas – so easy and SO tasty!
I love this series on Mexico and the food of Mexico. I am saving every recipe. They look incredibly good.
You are such a darling. Thank you! I have to say – I am really inspired by Mexico. This was my second trip and I am smitten with the place and the food.
This will be so good for a change of pace meal here. I will try your green sauce too. I made turkey enchiladas and gazpacho ( did I spell that correctly?) last in 1972 for a high school home economics asignment. I made them for the class and all the faculty!
I love this! I have to taste this green enchilada sauce 🙂
Thank you for stopping by! I bet making the sauce from scratch would be a breeze. But it’s the business of the green tomatoes or green tomatillos (or armadillos) that complicates things. I think green salsa might work too. But the tinned sauce is pretty darn handy!
I am very smitten with Mexican food at the moment. Can’t get enough of the wonderfully spicy and saucy food. I was so happy when I saw your post today. These enchiladas look delicious. They are rolled so nice and tight and love how they have rice in them too. Delicioso!
Smitten? That’s an understatement my friend!! 🙂
Well now – what the heck is going on? I answered this 101% for sure! 😉 What I said was that I happened to have leftover rice in the fridge so I just threw it all in. And then i thought maybe rice might make it bland – so I chucked in some cumin. And it was really really delicioso! But there are wordpress gremlins eating my answers. Probably because I won’t put armadillos in my sauce.
But thank you. And I am smitten too. xo
haha! WordPress gremlins. It’s true I’ve had all kinds of comment mysteries happening too. 🙂 and how could they be so immature just because you refused to put armadillos in the sauce? Don’t they know tomatillo’s are much more delicioso?
Will definitely have to have a look at what goes into enchilada sauce. Actually, it’s possible it’s sold here. There’s a small section on Mexican food in my local store, but it’s so outrageously expensive I don’t buy it. Even tortillas and taco shells cost more than artisanal bread!
So not envious of that photo on the beach! Hah, liar!
Hah! That made me laugh. Yes, out loud. Spent a day under that crazy beach hut on the beach – which looked suspiciously like something a cave man might have made. Had random coconuts on the roof and was tied to together with bits of old rope. But it was surprisingly effective at blocking the most intense of the sun.
For some reason – tortillas are kind of expensive here too – especially when you consider that they are almost identical to pitas which are a fraction of the price. Makes no sense whatsoever. But I bought em anyway! 😉
Lindy…These enchiladas look amazing! Your photos are always so beautiful…and your recipes so incredibly delicious… Yum. Just YUM. xx
You are the best. xo
Lol… maybe they serve armadillo enchiladas at WP secret headquarters! We love Mexico and enchiladas, of course. Used to live in S California where Mexican cuisine was abundant and going to Mexico for a long weekend didn’t seem such a preposterous idea. Where I am right now, you can’t get a decent Mexican meal unless you make it yourself, so thank you for this. I love the idea of using whole wheat tortillas, too!
You came to the party without a hitch. It was easy peasy, wasn’t it? 🙂
Thanks Angie – it really was easy peasy! And no armadillos were harmed in the process. I met some great new blogs and mingled all over the place. Thank you for inviting me along!
How I long to be on that beach……luckily you have lessen the blow that I am not there enjoying the sun by giving me enchiladas. Which I will be making.
Maria – I’m moving house and SO behind with everything. Thank you for your lovely comment. I promise to catch up with your blog asap. I am missing seeing what you are up to. Moving gets harder and harder… xo
Fave food!
Me too – so tasty!! I love Mexican food. 😉
These sound delicious, all spicy and cheesy bits of late winter satisfaction.
Hello My Little Home and Garden! Can you believe this winter?? We all need a dose of sunshine. Mexico is all too fast a mere memory.
I have heard and seen a lot of enchilada recipe, but i have never tasted them. This looks really good.
Oh please try enchiladas! They are so delicious! But then, I just love Mexican cuisine. Just went over and looked at your lovely blog! That million dollar cake – oh my – gorgeous!