Enchiladas Suizas are one of the more common variations of enchiladas, but common does not mean they are ordinary! The tangy green tomatillo sauce paired with the creamy chicken filling makes this everyone’s Saturday night favorite!
Tangy and Rich
History has it that a chain of coffee shops in Mexico is responsible for popularizing Enchiladas Suizas. Made with several cheeses and sour cream, they are called Swiss Enchiladas because of their focus on delicious dairy products. Even though they stray a bit from traditional enchilada ingredients, no one complains!
Making a small batch of Enchiladas Suizas is more difficult than making a party sized batch, so most recipes feed between 6-8 people. If this is too much for your household, you can freeze half of the rolled up chicken filled enchiladas and save for another meal. Better yet, you can invite a friend over to help prepare Enchiladas Suisas and each can take home dinner!
A Perfect Dinner Party
Great side dishes to pair with your Enchilada Suiza meal would be Classic Texas Pinto Beans or Mexican Style Rice. Of course a margarita or a beer or two are the perfect beverages!
Honestly, even in our two person household we have never been overwhelmed with enchiladas. A couple of enchiladas can easily find themselves next to your morning eggs or can be a beautiful snack to find in the fridge after a late night out.
Bear in mind that enchiladas are not a casserole dish per se. But casserole dishes are very handy oven proof dishes when it comes to assembling enchiladas and melting the cheese. Restaurants usually place the rolled up enchiladas on individual plates, cover with sauce and cheese and them pop under a broiler briefly for quick cheese melting. “Hot plate!” is one of the happiest phrases I hear in Texas, usually when the waiter is delivering my lunch of Enchiladas Suizas!
PrintEnchiladas Suizas
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
Sauce:
2 lbs. fresh tomatillos (860g)
2 tbsp. olive oil (30ml)
1 onion, chopped (6oz/170g)
1–2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Filling:
2 tbsp. olive oil (30ml)
1 onion, chopped (6oz/170g)
8 oz cream cheese (227g)
1 lb. shredded cooked chicken (480g)
Salt and pepper to taste
For assembling the enchiladas:
16–24 corn tortillas, 6” dia. (15cm)
4 oz. shredded white cheese such as Monterrey Jack (115g)
4 oz. crumbled queso fresco (115g)
¼ cup Mexican crema or sour cream (60ml)
Chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Peel and wash the tomatillos. Place the tomatillos in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain and discard the water. Place the tomatillos in the container of a blender and puree briefly. Set aside.
For the sauce, pour olive oil into a large skillet and heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about 10 seconds. Add the pureed tomatillos and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 1-2 minutes and then remove from the heat.
For the filling, pour olive oil into a separate skillet and heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and melt over medium heat. Once the cream cheese is melted, stir in the cooked chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat your oven to 350°F/176°C.
To assemble the enchiladas, heat a stack of the corn tortillas by wrapping them in a clean, damp kitchen towel and heating them in the microwave for 1 minute. Have a casserole pan ready for the enchiladas. Fill each hot corn tortilla with a 1oz/28g of the chicken mixture. Roll up and place in the casserole dish. Fill all of the corn tortillas in this fashion.
Once all of the enchiladas are filled, pour the tomatillo sauce over the top. Top the enchiladas with the shredded white cheese and cover the casserole with aluminum foil. Bake for about 15 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbly and the cheese is melted.
Remove the enchiladas from the oven and top with the crumbled queso fresco, Mexican crema and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
I have wondered where the name comes from and now I know. We tend to eat these enchiladas in a restaurant but now we know how to make them at home. Thank you.
Just made these delicious enchiladas last night, and served to guests here in upstate NY. There were a total hit, as everyone e went back for seconds! I also made your recipe for Texas pinto beans, easy but sooo good!
I will definitely be making these enchiladas again, they are the perfect dinner party dish!
Rollie
Very kind dear Rollie! I am glad you and your friends enjoyed them! Hugs!