Chicken Enchiladas with Real California Monterey Jack Cheese and Sour Cream
/Did you know that enchiladas are a great way to clean out your fridge? Whether you have leftover chicken, dairy, veggies, or all of the above (!), enchiladas can be a fabulous way to reduce waste in the kitchen. On a typical week, I tend to have tortillas, peppers, and onions hanging around in my fridge, so all I have to do is pick up a couple ingredients, including Real California Milk dairy products, to get these enchiladas going! Sometimes I even have rotisserie chicken leftover which makes these enchiladas super yummy!
We all know #CADairy products can be relied on as a healthy and tasty way to consume essential vitamins and minerals, but did you also know that sustainably feeding a global population that is expected to grow to ten billion by 2050 will require collaboration, as well as an innovative and efficient food system? California’s dairy farm families are well-positioned to play a major role and are committed to continuous progress by maximizing resources and minimizing pollution. So, when purchasing dairy, I encourage you to look for nutritious Real California Milk products that nourish people.
Chicken Enchiladas with Real California Monterey Jack Cheese and Sour Cream
Time: 1 Hour
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 ½ pounds skinless chicken legs, thighs, and breasts
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
5 medium cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 ½ lbs tomatillos, husks removed
1 medium onion, halved
1-2 medium serrano or jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil plus additional for frying
12 corn tortillas
½ cup Real California Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup Real California Milk light sour cream or Mexican crema
1 small white onion, finely chopped
½ bunch cilantro, stems removed, chopped
4 birdseye chilies, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Directions
In a large stockpot, add chicken, bay leaf, peppercorns, 2 cloves garlic, and ½ onion. Add cold water several inches above chicken level and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 150F (the temperature will rise when the chicken rests). Reserve ½ cup chicken broth and transfer chicken to a platter, breaking up the chicken a little with two forks to speed cooling.
Meanwhile, add tomatillos to a large saucepan with 3 cloves garlic and ½ onion. Add cold water slightly above tomatillo level. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes, or until tomatillos are soft. Strain tomatillos and garlic and set aside to cool.
Once tomatillos and garlic have cooled a little, add to a blender with reserved chicken broth and peppers. Blend on high until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and blend again for 10 seconds to combine.
In a shallow skillet over medium-high heat, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Lightly fry tortillas for about 30 seconds on each side and transfer to a paper towel lined plate, adding new paper towels between each tortilla.
To plate, fold tortillas in half and slightly overlap them in an even layer (3 tortillas per person). Spoon over a layer of tomatillo sauce followed by a layer of shredded cheese, chicken, Mexican crema, diced onion, and cilantro. Top with additional tomatillo sauce, and garnish with birdseye chilies if desired.
If you loved this recipe, you will love my recipes for Real California Cheese Mushroom & Pesto Quesadillas, Chicken Mole Verde Tacos, and Mushroom Tacos with Fried Eggs!
