Cheesy Chicken & Sweet Corn Enchiladas Verdes

These enchiladas are stuffed with a combination of shredded poached chicken, sweet corn and Monterey Jack cheese, and then smothered with a homemade verde sauce made with tomatillos and other peppers creating a flavorful, tangy topping with just a hint of spice. I serve these flavorful enchiladas topped with sour cream, cotija cheese, avocados and cilantro for a meal that can easily be doubled to serve a crowd.

Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you – it comes down to three parts; making the sauce, making the filling, then topping the enchiladas after baking.

Cheesy Chicken & Sweet Corn Enchiladas Verdes

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Tomatillos – Tomatillos fall in the nightshade family (like tomatoes) and come in a papery husk. They are frequently used in Mexican cooking like salsas to add a sweet, acidic flavor and bright green color to food. To prep them simply peel off the paper husk and wash them (the surface can be sticky).
• Poblano peppers – Poblanos are a mild, deep green pepper frequently used in Mexican cooking. Poblanos are a larger pepper which makes them perfect for filling. These peppers are less spicy then jalapeños, ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville.
• Chicken – Chicken breasts are simmered in water until cooked through then shredded. While I prefer using chicken breasts if I am shredding the meat, boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used as well. Shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken can also be used as a shortcut.
• Corn – I love making the most of sweet summer corn picked up from local farm stands. When buying ears corn, look for a bright green husk that is tight around the corn. Feel the kernels through the husk, they should be plump. (I like to peel back a section of the husk to double check the kernels.) Look at the tassel (the strings at the top), it should be yellow or light brown – it should have a sweet smell.

How to Make Cheesy Sweet Corn and Chicken Enchiladas Verde

For the verde sauce:

1. Roast the chilies. Heat oven to 425ºF. Rub the tomatillos, onion, poblano, Serrano and garlic with olive oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until they are soft and browned, about 30 minutes.
2. Blend the enchilada verde sauce. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender with the pan juices as well as the cumin, chili powder and chicken broth. Puree until smooth then season with salt and set aside.

For the enchiladas:

1. Heat oven. Heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
2. Add chicken to a pot. Frist, add the chicken strips to a medium saucepan. Then, add just enough water to cover the chicken and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
3. Poach the chicken. As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the water and let the chicken cool on a cutting board. Once cool use your hands or two forks to shred the chicken and set aside.
4. Make the filling. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. First, add the onion and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the corn and sauté an additional 4 minutes. Next, add the chicken broth and chicken to the pan and stir to combine. Stir in 1 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese until combined.
5. Assemble the enchiladas. Ladle 1 cup of the verde sauce into the bottom of a 3-quart, 13-inch x 9-inch baking dish. Divide the filling between the tortillas (about 1/3 cup each) and roll each tortilla into a cylinder, placing each side-by-side in the baking dish.
6. Top with the sauce and cheese. Pour 1½ cups of the remaining verde sauce over the top of the tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining Monterey jack cheese over the top.
7. Bake. Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Scoop two enchiladas onto each plate.
8. Top and serve the salsa verde enchiladas. Top the enchiladas with a spoonful of sour cream, avocado, cilantro, cotija cheese and radish. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

• If you want to take a shortcut on the filling you can always use leftover or rotisserie chicken in place of the poached chicken.
• Serve the enchiladas alongside a classic combo of rice and beans or a salad for a lighter side.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this cheesy chicken & sweet corn enchilada verdes recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Chile Relleno De Mariscos
• Pork Pozole Verde
• Tequila Lime Chicken Fajitas

Cheesy Chicken & Sweet Corn Enchiladas Verdes

By Kylie Mazon-Chambers

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Serves 4

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Ingredients:

For the verde sauce:

• ▢ 1½ pound tomatillos husks removed and quartered
• ▢ 1 large white onion quartered
• ▢ 1 poblano pepper halved and seeded
• ▢ 2 serrano peppers halved and seeded
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic
• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1 cups chicken broth
• ▢ Kosher salt, as needed

For the enchiladas:

• ▢ 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1” strips
• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• ▢ 2 ears sweet corn, kernels removed
• ▢ ½ cup chicken broth
• ▢ 2½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• ▢ 8 (7-inch) flour tortillas
• ▢ 1/3 cup sour cream
• ▢ 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
• ▢ ¼ packed cup cilantro leaves
• ▢ ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
• ▢ 2 red radishes, thinly sliced
• ▢ Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions:

For the verde sauce:

• Heat oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Rub the tomatillos, onion, poblano, Serrano and garlic with olive oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until they are soft and browned, about 30 minutes.
• Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender with the pan juices as well as the cumin, chili powder and chicken broth. Puree until smooth then season with salt and set aside.

For the enchiladas:

• Heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
• Add the chicken strips to a medium saucepan. Add just enough water to cover the chicken and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
• As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the water and let the chicken cool on a cutting board. Once cool use your hands or two forks to shred the chicken and set aside.
• Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the corn and sauté an additional 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth and chicken to the pan and stir to combine. Stir in 1 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese until combined.
• Ladle 1 cup of the verde sauce into the bottom of a 3-quart, 13-inch x 9-inch baking dish. Divide the filling between the tortillas (about 1/3 cup each) and roll each tortilla into a cylinder, placing each side-by-side in the baking dish.
• Pour 1½ cups of the remaining verde sauce over the top of the tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining Monterey jack cheese over the top.
• Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Scoop two enchiladas onto each plate.
• Top the enchiladas with a spoonful of sour cream, avocado, cilantro, cotija cheese and radish. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Nutrition:

Calories: 1077kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 1334mg | Potassium: 1867mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1447IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 785mg | Iron: 6mg

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