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Top view of enchiladas suizas garnished with cilantro leaves on plate.

Enchiladas Suizas

Enchiladas suizas are creamy, cheesy, tangy, spicy and filled with shredded chicken. The sauce is made with tomatillos, chile serrano or jalapeño, onion, garlic, cilantro, and Mexican crema or sour cream.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 People
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 1 lb chicken breast
  • 1/4 white onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 4 cups water
For the Enchilada Sauce
  • 2 lbs tomatillos husks removed and rinsed
  • 2 chile serrano or jalapeño stemmed
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 white onion
  • 1 cup cilantro  leaves and upper stems
  • 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp Avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
For Frying the Tortillas
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • Avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
For Topping the Enchiladas
  • 1 cup Chihuahua cheese, Muenster Cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese shredded
For Serving
  • Cilantro for garnish

Method
 

To cook the chicken
  1. Add the chicken, salt, black pepper, bay leaf, onion, and garlic to a medium or large pot.
  2. Cover the chicken and the rest of the ingredients with enough water. Usually about 4 cups of water.
  3. Bring pot to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer at medium low heat and partially cover. Simmer chicken for about 15 minutes. Check that the internal temperature of the chicken at thickest part is reading 165°F.
  4. Remove the Chicken from the pot and transfer to a bowl and let it cool down.
  5. Once the chicken has cooled down, shred it and set aside.
To make the enchilada Sauce
  1. Add the tomatillos, chile serrano or jalapeño, peeled garlic clove, and onion to a large pot. Add enough water to cover the ingredients.
  2. Bring water to a boil and then reduce to a medium heat and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the tomatillos, chiles, onion and garlic from the pot, let them cool down for 5 at least minutes.
  4. Once the ingredients have cooled down, transfer them to a blender and add the the cilantro and Mexican crema or sour cream.
  5. Blend all the ingredients until smooth.
To cook the enchilada sauce
  1. Heat a medium saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add oil to the saucepan or pot and let it heat up for a few minutes until hot.
  2. Add the enchilada sauce to the saucepan or pot and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. The sauce should thicken a bit and the flavors will concentrate a little more.
To fry the tortillas
  1. Set a small skillet or fry pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and to fry tortillas. Usually about 2 or 3 tablespoons of oil.
  2. Heat oil for a few minutes until hot. One by one, lightly fry each tortilla for about 5 to 10 seconds on one side. Flip tortilla over to the other side and fry for another 5 to 10 seconds. Add more oil as needed to fry the tortillas.
  3. As you fry the tortillas transfer and set aside on a plate.
To assemble and bake the enchiladas suizas
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Pour about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the creamy sauce into a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish, or enough to cover the bottom of the dish.
  3. Top each tortilla down the middle with the shredded chicken. Roll them up and transfer them to the baking dish in a single layer, seam side down.
  4. Pour the enchilada sauce over the filled tortillas, making sure they are well covered. Add the shredded cheese over the enchiladas and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until cheese is well melted.
To serve
  1. Garnish with cilantro leaves and enjoy!

Notes

    1. Blend the enchilada sauce ingredients to a smooth consistency.
    1. You can save yourself the step of poaching the chicken and use rotisserie chicken instead. Make sure you shred it before filling the tortillas.
    1. Start with one chile serrano or jalapeño and then taste the sauce after blending. If you want more heat, add another chile. Repeat the process if necessary until you achieve the desired spice level.
    1. If you prefer a creamier sauce use 3/4 cup or 1 cup of crema or sour cream. If you prefer a less creamy sauce you can use 1/4 cup of crema or sour cream.
    1. You can also heat the tortillas on a comal or skillet without oil, if you prefer to not fry them. If heating them up using this method, make sure to immediately fill the tortilla with chicken, while the tortilla is warm and pliable. Otherwise it's not as easy to roll up the tortilla without it breaking when it's cold or not warm enough.