La Cocina de Leslie Turns 2 {Enchiladas Suizas}

Today is a very special day here at La Cocina de Leslie.  It's my 2nd Blogiversary!  In honor of such a special occasion, I'm going to share one of my all-time favorite recipes...Enchiladas Suizas.

This is a recipe I have been wanting to share for quite some time now, but for one reason or another, I wasn't able to.  On a couple of occasions, my camera batteries were dead, so I couldn't take pics.  On other occasions, I was in too much of a rush to take pictures.  And then when I finally did take the pics, the notebook I had written my recipe measurements in disappeared.  But today, finally, everything came together and I am able to celebrate my 2nd Blogiversary with a spectacular recipe.  

Literally translated, Enchiladas Suizas means Swiss Enchiladas.  To my knowledge these aren't Swiss in origin, but are called Suizas because Mexican crema is added to the tomatillo salsa.  This is one recipe where I don't recommend substituting sour cream for the Mexican crema.  Doing so would result in a thicker sauce.  I recommend using heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk.

Here in Mexico, I use a combination of Manchego and Chihuaha cheese.  But when I lived in the United States I used both mild cheddar and swiss cheese.  Whichever cheese you decide to use, the results are absolutely deliciosos!  

Enchiladas Suizas


Ingredients:

• 6 cups water 
• 2 pounds chicken breast
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 large clove garlic
• Cilantro
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon (I use Knorr Suiza)
• 1 poblano chile
• 24 tomatillos, husks removed
• 2 serrano chilies
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup Mexican crema
• 24 Corn Tortillas
• 8 oz. Chihuahua cheese, shredded
• 8 oz. Manchego cheese, shredded

Directions:
Place the chicken, onion, garlic, cilantro and 1 teaspoon of the chicken bouillon in a large saucepan.  Cover with 6 cups of water and season with salt and pepper.  Simmer over medium heat until chicken is tender.  Shred the chicken, once it cools.  (This step can be done the day before.)

To make the Enchilada sauce, place the tomatillos, serrano chilies, garlic and 3 cups of water.  Simmer over medium heat until tomatillos are fully cooked.  Let cool slightly.

While the tomatillos are cooking, roast the poblano pepper in a small skillet or comal over medium-high heat, until all of the skin has blistered.  The poblano pepper will look charred. 

Wrap the roasted poblano pepper in a plastic bag and let sit for about 5 minutes.  This allows the pepper to sweat, making it much easier to remove the skin. 

Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, remove the charred skin and carefully remove the seeds and stem.

In a blender, puree the tomatillos, serrano chilies, garlic and poblano pepper with 2 cups of the water the tomatillos were cooked in and the remaining teaspoon of chicken bouillon.

Pour the puree mixture into a medium saucepan.  Stir in the Mexican crema and season with salt, if necessary.

Pour 1/3 cup of the creamy sauce into a 9-inch square baking dish.

Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Fry the corn tortillas one at a time, for about 20 to 30 seconds per side.  Add more oil, as needed.  You don't want to fry the tortillas until crisp, because then you won't be able to roll up your enchiladas.  (Don't skip this part, because the tortillas will break and your enchiladas won't hold their shape if you don't fry the tortillas.)  

Transfer the tortillas to a heatproof plate.  Top each tortilla with a couple tablespoons of shredded chicken and cheese.

Roll up the tortillas and place seam side down in the baking dish.  Spoon another 1/3 to 1/2 cup of sauce over the Enchiladas and shredded cheese.

Repeat with another layer of Enchiladas, sauce and cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turns golden brown around the edges.  Serve with Refried Beans and Mexican Rice.  Enjoy!!!