Who doesn't love Mexican food? Saucy and meaty and full of fresh flavor, it is a universally adored cuisine for good reason. As a kid growing up in New Jersey (then in north eastern Florida), my experience of Mexican food was limited to the big restaurant chains decorated with piñatas and sarapes that catered to people who "thought" they knew what Mexican food was, but really were enjoying a completely watered-downed (or cheese covered), Americanized version. And although I'd never kick a smothered chimichanga or crispy taco off my plate, I didn't get to fully appreciate authentic Mexican food until I moved to southern California. This style of cooking is actually many different styles of cooking under one flag. The seafood dishes of the Yucatan are different from the ones that hail from the Pacific coast; the mole of Oaxaca has an earthier flavor profile than the tinga from Puebla; and Mexico City style food, with its rich creamy sauces, is in a category all it's own.
Enchiladas are even better with a classic margarita (no salt!) and crispy chips
I first learned to make these enchiladas the gringa way - with pre-shredded cheddar cheese, canned sauce and chilis, and rotisserie chicken. Don't get me wrong, they are still delicious that way, and because of my limited trips to the grocery store these day, this recipe calls upon the convenience of canned sauce and chilis because that's all I had. If I were to make the sauce homemade, it would include tart tomatillos, fresh green chilis (poblanos, maybe a few jalapeños or a serrano if I was feeling spicy), garlic and onions, roasted together in the oven then pureed with fresh cilantro and a little clove and cumin. The canned green sauce I bought (La Victoria) was a good substitute, and shared many of the same flavors, but was a little flat. I brought it back to life with some sautéed red onions, spices and fresh herbs, and it really worked well.
Not completely authentic, but still tasty
The cheese to use is a personal preference. The word "Suizas" actually means "Swiss", as an homage to the creamy, cheesy dishes of Switzerland. Enchiladas Suizas were first prepared in Mexico City where the locals favor dishes with rich, creamy sauces, and have been gracing menus around the globe ever since. Some restaurants will use Swiss cheese in their sauce and to top the finished enchiladas, but I like a blend of Monterey Jack, Asadero and a little cheddar (old habits die hard). With a side salad, chips and guacamole, and a fresh-squeezed homemade margarita, you just can't go wrong with this dinner any night of the week.
Chicken Enchiladas Suiza (Makes 10 enchiladas)
Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp better than bullion chicken base or 1 chicken bullion cube
10 enchilada sized (large) corn tortillas
1 28 oz. can La Victoria Mild Green Enchilada Sauce
1 can mild diced green chilis
2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, whatever you like), divided
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
handful chopped fresh herbs (cilantro and/or parsley)
Method:
Heat oven to 350. Heat broth with added chicken base or bullion to a simmer. Add whole chicken breasts or thighs and cook until no longer pink. Remove from broth and cool. Reserve broth. When completely cooled, shred.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Sautée onions until translucent. Add 1 cup of enchilada sauce, 1 cup of reserved chicken broth and can of chilis. Stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to a rolling boil. Once it boils, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until reduced by almost half. Add cream cheese and 1 cup of shredded cheese and stir to combine. It should be thick and creamy but not pasty. If it's too thick add a a little reserved chicken broth. Season with salt, cumin and chili powder. Set aside.
Heat remaining enchilada sauce in another pan. Remove a little to coat the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. When warm, coat each tortilla in sauce (I dip them in carefully), add a scoop of the chicken mixture, and roll gently as to not break the fragile tortilla. Place in casserole dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. You'll have a little chicken mixture and a little green sauce left. Top the enchiladas with remaining green sauce, remaining creamy chicken mixture and remaining 1 cup cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, uncovered, until thoroughly heated and cheese melted. Top with fresh herbs and tomatoes. Serve with sour cream or Mexican crema.
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