Enchiladas Suizas: The Creamy Chicken Enchilada Classic

Enchiladas Suizas, also known as Chicken Enchiladas with a creamy tomatillo sauce, offers a delightful culinary journey into authentic Mexican flavors with a unique “Swiss” twist. This beloved dish promises a comforting and incredibly flavorful dinner experience that’s both satisfying and easy to prepare.

Mastering Enchiladas Suizas: A Recipe for Authentic Creamy Tomatillo Chicken Enchiladas

Delve into the rich and vibrant world of Mexican cuisine with this exquisite recipe for Enchiladas Suizas. These creamy chicken enchiladas are famous for their luscious, bright green tomatillo sauce, enriched with Mexican crema and generously topped with melted cheese. The “Suizas,” or Swiss, reference in their name hints at this delightful addition of cream and cheese, transforming a classic dish into something truly indulgent. While many might be accustomed to store-bought enchilada sauces, there’s an unparalleled freshness and depth of flavor that comes from crafting your own creamy tomatillo sauce from scratch. It’s a culinary revelation that elevates these enchiladas from good to absolutely unforgettable.

The Art of the Creamy Tomatillo Sauce: Freshness You Can Taste

The heart and soul of Enchiladas Suizas lies in its vibrant, creamy tomatillo sauce. Forget canned versions; making this sauce at home is simpler than you might think and yields a flavor profile that is miles apart. The foundation begins with fresh tomatillos, their papery husks removed and cored, simmered with aromatic ingredients like white onion, garlic, and serrano chiles. This gentle cooking process allows the tomatillos to soften and release their tangy essence without bursting, creating a smooth base for the sauce.

Once the vegetables are tender, they are blended until silky smooth, with chicken broth added as needed to achieve the perfect consistency. Fresh cilantro is then incorporated, lending its distinctive herbaceous note. The sauce is then briefly cooked with a touch of oil to deepen its flavors before the magical ingredient, crema Mexicana, is stirred in. This rich cream adds a velvety texture and mellows the tanginess of the tomatillos, creating a balanced and utterly delicious sauce. For those with a sensitivity to spice, like my husband, one can easily adjust the amount of serrano chiles, ensuring the sauce is flavorful without being overly fiery. A quick taste test of the finished sauce, usually a swipe across a mixing spoon, is enough to confirm that something truly special is about to unfold in your kitchen.

From Aztec to Tex-Mex: A Culinary Journey with “Enchiladas” Cookbook

This particular recipe for Enchiladas Suizas comes from the highly acclaimed cookbook, Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mexby Cappy Lawton and Chris Waters. This book is a treasure trove for anyone looking to explore the authentic roots and diverse variations of enchiladas, moving beyond the familiar Tex-Mex adaptations often found outside Mexico. Cooking from this recently released gem offers a fantastic opportunity to delve into more traditional Mexican techniques and flavor combinations.

My own journey with this cookbook led me directly to these chicken enchiladas, primarily because the recipe appeared incredibly approachable despite its promise of authenticity. While much of the Mexican fare I typically prepare leans more towards adapted flavors, this recipe truly delivered a taste of genuine Mexican cuisine. The most challenging aspect I encountered was locating the specific Mexican cheeses recommended, a testament to the cookbook’s dedication to authentic ingredients. However, the exquisite homemade sauce, perfectly complementing the tender shredded chicken and generously melted cheese, made the extra effort entirely worthwhile.

Family Approved and Customizable for Every Palate

The true measure of any recipe’s success often lies in the feedback from family, and these Enchiladas Suizas received enthusiastic approval. My son, home from college, readily gave his seal of endorsement, a significant achievement for any dish. My husband, ever the discerning eater, expressed a preference for flour tortillas over the traditional corn, finding the latter a bit too “exotic.” This highlights a beautiful aspect of cooking: recipes are always adaptable. To cater to his preference and elevate the dish further, one could easily incorporate a bit of the savory sauce and extra cheese directly into the chicken filling. This simple tweak would result in an even gooier, more decadent interior, perfectly matching the rich exterior. If your family, like mine, enjoys classic comfort food with a twist, or if you’re simply seeking a departure from the usual enchilada recipes, then this cookbook will undoubtedly become a cherished addition to your kitchen library.

For those who, like me, find it challenging to source fresh, high-quality corn tortillas at local markets, consider trying this marvelous recipe for homemade corn tortillas. Making them yourself ensures an unparalleled freshness that truly enhances the overall experience of any enchilada dish. Additionally, if you enjoy cheesy chicken dishes, you might also like my Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas for another comforting meal idea.

The Recipe:

Enchiladas Suizas or Chicken Enchiladas

Prep Time
20 minutes

Cook Time
20 minutes

Total Time
40 minutes

Yield
12 enchiladas

Indulge in these authentic Chicken Enchiladas featuring a rich, creamy tomatillo sauce and melted cheese – a truly satisfying Mexican dinner.

Rated 5/5 stars by Bess, who said: “A nice change from my usual chicken enchiladas! Very tasty.”

Ingredients

For the Creamy Tomatillo Sauce:

1 pound (454 grams) tomatillos, husks removed, cored
1–2 serrano chiles, destemmed (adjust to your spice preference)
1⁄2 medium white onion, peeled, coarsely chopped, and root end removed
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3⁄4 bunch fresh cilantro
Chicken broth, as needed for thinning the sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (237 ml) crema Mexicana
Kosher salt to taste

For the Chicken Filling:

2 cups (260 grams) poached and shredded chicken

For Assembly:

12 white corn tortillas
Vegetable oil, as needed for softening tortillas (about 1⁄2 inch deep)
2 cups (240 grams) grated cheese (queso asadero, queso Chihuahua, or Emmentaler Swiss are excellent choices)

For Garnish:

1 cup (237 ml) crema Mexicana, or to taste
1 medium white onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Fresh cilantro leaves to taste

Instructions for Enchiladas Suizas

Part 1: Prepare the Creamy Tomatillo Sauce

Simmer Vegetables: Place the tomatillos, serrano chiles, white onion, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Cover the vegetables with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and gently cook until the tomatillos change to a duller green color and soften, taking care not to let them burst. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes.
Transfer to Blender: Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer all the cooked vegetables from the saucepan to a blender.
Blend the Sauce: Blend the cooked vegetables until they form a smooth mixture. Gradually add chicken broth as needed, a little at a time, until you achieve a medium sauce consistency that is pourable but not watery. Add the fresh cilantro and process for just a few more seconds until it is incorporated and finely chopped.
Sauté the Sauce: In a clean saucepan (or the same one rinsed out), heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil over medium heat. Once hot, pour in the blended tomatillo sauce. Cook the sauce for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it warms through and slightly thickens.
Add Crema Mexicana: Reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Stir in 1 cup of crema Mexicana. Continue to heat the sauce gently, ensuring it is warmed through, but do not allow it to boil after adding the cream, as this can cause it to curdle.
Season and Keep Warm: Remove the sauce from the heat. Season generously with kosher salt to taste. Cover the saucepan and set it aside to keep the sauce warm while you prepare the rest of the enchiladas.

Part 2: Assemble and Bake the Enchiladas

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
Prepare Frying Oil: Pour vegetable oil into a heavy skillet to a depth of approximately 1⁄2 inch (12 mm). Place the skillet over medium-high heat.
Heat Oil to Frying Temperature: Heat the oil until it reaches a low frying temperature, around 300°F (150°C). You can test this by dropping a tiny piece of tortilla in; it should gently sizzle.
Soften Tortillas: Carefully place each white corn tortilla into the hot oil for just a few seconds on each side. The goal is simply to soften them, making them pliable and easy to roll, not to make them crispy.
Drain Tortillas: As each tortilla is softened, transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
Fill Enchiladas: Take one softened tortilla. Fill the lower third of the tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of the shredded chicken.
Roll and Arrange: Tightly roll the tortilla, ensuring the seam is facing down. Place the rolled enchilada seam-side down in a large ovenproof baking dish. Make sure the baking dish is large enough to accommodate all 12 enchiladas in a single layer.
Repeat: Continue this process with the remaining tortillas and shredded chicken until all enchiladas are rolled and placed in the baking dish.
Cover with Sauce: Generously pour the warm creamy tomatillo sauce over all the rolled enchiladas. Ensure every part of the enchiladas, especially the edges, is well covered with the luscious sauce.
Top with Cheese: Evenly sprinkle the grated queso asadero, queso Chihuahua, or Emmentaler Swiss cheese over the sauced enchiladas.
Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the enchiladas are thoroughly heated through, the sauce is bubbly, and the cheese is beautifully melted and lightly browned in spots.
Garnish and Serve: Carefully remove the hot enchiladas from the oven. Garnish immediately with additional crema Mexicana (to taste), thinly sliced white onion, and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve hot and enjoy!

Chef’s Note:

These enchiladas are designed to be rich and flavorful with a creamy profile, rather than intensely spicy. Adjust the quantity of serrano chiles to perfectly suit your family’s heat preference.

Notes

This exceptional recipe is reprinted from Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mex, Copyright © 2015 by Cappy Lawton and Chris Waters Dunn. Published by Trinity University Press. It’s a fantastic resource for exploring authentic enchilada recipes.

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Ready to explore more authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex delights? Secure your copy of the fantastic cookbook, Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mexfrom Amazon today. It’s an invaluable resource for creating these delicious Enchiladas Suizas and countless other mouth-watering dishes in your own kitchen!