Chicken Enchiladas with Jalapeño Sweet Corn Crema
Chicken Enchiladas with Jalapeño Sweet Corn Crema
Ingredients
For the Filling and Sauce
- 3 pounds chicken breast, cooked and shredded (or 1 whole rotisserie chicken)
- 10 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 4 jalapeños
- 2 poblano chiles
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1/2 yellow onion, large
- 2 ears sweet corn, plus more for garnish
- 3 garlic cloves
- 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 block, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, or crema
- 1 cup water, or chicken broth
- 1 handful cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 2 1/2 teaspoons fine kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
To Assemble
- 12 corn tortillas, half-and-half preferred
- 16 ounces shredded queso chihuahua, or queso quesadilla, split into 2 portions
For Garnish
- as needed cotija cheese, crumbled
- as needed red cabbage, shredded
- as needed corn kernels, extra
- as needed fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Husk and rinse the tomatillos. In a small pot, combine the husked tomatillos with 1 cup of water or chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the tomatillos are soft.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350
- 2
While the tomatillos are cooking, prepare the other vegetables. Slice the jalapeños, poblano chiles, green bell pepper, and yellow onion into wedges. Grill or sauté these vegetables (excluding garlic and corn for now) until they are blistered and slightly smoky. Alternatively, you can broil them until charred. Once charred, set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Cut the kernels off the 2 ears of sweet corn. Add the softened tomatillos (and their cooking liquid), charred jalapeños, poblano chiles, bell pepper, onion, raw garlic cloves, cream cheese, sour cream, cilantro, salt, black pepper, oregano, and cumin to a blender. Add the corn kernels. If the mixture is hot, ensure the blender lid is vented to prevent pressure buildup. Blend until smooth.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Pour half of the blended sauce into a large skillet or pot. Add the shredded cooked chicken and simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is well coated and saucy.
⏱️ 7 min
- 5
Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Soften the corn tortillas by wrapping a stack in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 30 seconds, or by quickly dipping them in warm oil. Spoon a portion of the sauced chicken filling into the center of each softened tortilla, sprinkle with half of the shredded queso chihuahua, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Once all enchiladas are assembled in the baking dish, pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top. Blanket the enchiladas with the second portion of shredded queso chihuahua. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 350
- 7
Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes. Garnish with crumbled cotija cheese, shredded red cabbage, extra corn kernels, and fresh chopped cilantro before serving.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Chicken Enchiladas with Jalapeño Sweet Corn Crema
For the Filling and Sauce
- 3 pounds chicken breast, cooked and shredded (or 1 whole rotisserie chicken)
- 10 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 4 jalapeños
- 2 poblano chiles
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1/2 yellow onion, large
- 2 ears sweet corn, plus more for garnish
- 3 garlic cloves
- 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 block, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, or crema
- 1 cup water, or chicken broth
- 1 handful cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 2 1/2 teaspoons fine kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
To Assemble
- 12 corn tortillas, half-and-half preferred
- 16 ounces shredded queso chihuahua, or queso quesadilla, split into 2 portions
For Garnish
- as needed cotija cheese, crumbled
- as needed red cabbage, shredded
- as needed corn kernels, extra
- as needed fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Husk and rinse the tomatillos. In a small pot, combine the husked tomatillos with 1 cup of water or chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the tomatillos are soft.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350 - 2
While the tomatillos are cooking, prepare the other vegetables. Slice the jalapeños, poblano chiles, green bell pepper, and yellow onion into wedges. Grill or sauté these vegetables (excluding garlic and corn for now) until they are blistered and slightly smoky. Alternatively, you can broil them until charred. Once charred, set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Cut the kernels off the 2 ears of sweet corn. Add the softened tomatillos (and their cooking liquid), charred jalapeños, poblano chiles, bell pepper, onion, raw garlic cloves, cream cheese, sour cream, cilantro, salt, black pepper, oregano, and cumin to a blender. Add the corn kernels. If the mixture is hot, ensure the blender lid is vented to prevent pressure buildup. Blend until smooth.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Pour half of the blended sauce into a large skillet or pot. Add the shredded cooked chicken and simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is well coated and saucy.
⏱️ 7 min - 5
Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Soften the corn tortillas by wrapping a stack in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 30 seconds, or by quickly dipping them in warm oil. Spoon a portion of the sauced chicken filling into the center of each softened tortilla, sprinkle with half of the shredded queso chihuahua, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Once all enchiladas are assembled in the baking dish, pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top. Blanket the enchiladas with the second portion of shredded queso chihuahua. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 350 - 7
Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes. Garnish with crumbled cotija cheese, shredded red cabbage, extra corn kernels, and fresh chopped cilantro before serving.
⏱️ 3 min