Chicken Enchiladas
in tomatilla sauce

This is a casserole type dish which can be prepared, for the most part, in advance of the meal. The final assembly should still be done just before the dish is placed in the oven.

Tomatillas are strange things.  They look like overgrown 'Chinese lantern' fruits while they are still in their husks, and like small green tomatoes once they are outside.   If you can find them fresh in the local grocery store, the husks will be papery, either green or brown.  The condition of the husks is unimportant, many will be torn or have pieces missing.  What is important is the fruit inside.  It should be one to two inches across, light green, and firm, without soft spots or other damage. If you can't find them fresh, look in the foreign food or Mexican food section for a canned version.

2 large, whole chicken breasts (poached)

1 cup of chopped onions
1 clove of garlic, crushed/chopped
2 tablespoons of butter

1 lb Tomatillas, chopped, boiled, drained (or the canned equivalent )
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/4 cup chopped , mild chilies (Anaheim)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon EACH: salt, basil, and oregano

2 cups grated Monterrey jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
7 large flour tortillas

Shred chicken and salt to taste.

In a saucepan, saute onions and garlic in butter until soft.  Add next group of ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.   Remove from heat and cool.

Place a portion of the chicken and cheese, and a few tablespoons of sauce, down the center of each tortilla.  Roll up and place, seam side down, in a glass 11 x 9 inch baking dish.  All the chicken should be used up, but not all the sauce or cheese.

Blend sour cream and remaining sauce and pour over the enchiladas.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the sauce and then bake, loosely covered with foil, in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.

Serve one or two to a plate, with Mexican rice and refried beans. A small scoop of sour cream and/or guacamole on a bed of shredded lettuce is also a nice addition.

You will notice that the style of this recipe is a bit different than the others.   That's because my wife makes this dish.  I specialize in food that take one pot, everything thrown in, and then cooked for a few hours. This requires planning, pre-preparation, and washing several more cooking implements that any of my recipes.   It is a favorite of both mine and our guests, however, and well worth the extra trouble it takes me to talk her into making the dish!