STACKED SUIZA CHICKEN ENCHILADAS with PICKLED RED ONIONS serves 2
I absolutely LOVE trying new recipes. Suiza is just the Spanish word for Swiss. I generally cook something BRAND NEW 85% of the time! So combining out of the norm flavors helps keep everything interesting and leads to some wonderful new combinations. Like Molly I combine flavors based on my likes, NOT based on their cultural origins. We used to live near a Mexican restaurant that had the most amazing food, was family run, but had THE grumpiest servers (all part of the family). EVERY time they hired a new hostess/cashier we’d all take bets on how long she’d last because they were ALWAYS cute and perky! 😀 Anyway, they had THE best Suiza chicken enchiladas and that is what this recipe reminds me of. The mozzarella is a much creamier cheese than the standard jack or cheddar normally used in this style recipe. The pickled red onion cut the richness of the ultra creamy cheese and give it a tangy finish.
Adapted from Molly Krueger at Marley Spoon
FRESH ground sea salt & ground pepper
pinch sugar
avocado oil
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
¼ ounce chorizo chili spice blend
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon BETTER THAN BOUILLON chicken concentrate
1/2 cup chicken bone broth
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
8 ounces green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup chicken bone broth
2 tablespoons chopped FRESH cilantro,
1 poblano pepper, char roasted, stemmed, seeded and sliced thin
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
sour cream, for garnish
- Preheat oven to 450° with a rack in the upper third.
- Pick cilantro leaves from stems; finely chop the stems and reserve whole leaves.
In small bowl, combine ¼ cup of the sliced onion with 1 tablespoon vinegar and a pinch of sugar and FRESH ground salt and pepper. Set aside, but stir occasionally, until needed.
- In a measuring cup, stir to combine the enchilada sauce, broth concentrate, and chicken broth.
- Set sauce aside.
- Pat chicken dry.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
- Generously season chicken with sea salt and ground pepper.
- Add chicken and cook until chicken is seared and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board.
- Shred chicken with 2 forks.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high.
- Add poblano pepper slices, remaining sliced onions, and a pinch each of FRESH ground sea salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until veggies are softened and browned in spots, 3–5 minutes.
- Stir in all of the chorizo chili spice blend and cilantro stems; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Transfer veggies to bowl with chicken; stir to combine.
- Off the heat, pour ¼ cup sauce into same skillet.
- Layer 2 tortillas on top, overlapping as necessary.
- Top with ¼ cup sauce, half of the filling, and ⅓ of the cheese.
- Repeat with 2 more tortillas, ¼ cup sauce, remaining filling, and ⅓ of the cheese.
- Top with remaining tortillas, sauce, and cheese.
Lightly oil foil; cover skillet with oiled side.
- Bake on upper oven rack until cheese is melted and tortillas are warmed through, about 10 minutes.
- Uncover; switch oven to broil.
- Broil until cheese is browned on top, 2–3 minutes, depending on your broiler.
- Remove from oven; let rest for 5 minutes.
- Top enchiladas with whole cilantro leaves, sour cream salsa and pickled onions as desired.
NOTE: If you cannot find chorizo chile spice, make your own!
CHORIZO CHILE SPICE BLEND
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Ancho Chile powder
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon QUALITY ground cinnamon
- Break up a bay leaf into small pieces. Using a mortar and pestle grind it up a bit.
- Next add in the oregano and thyme and grind until finely ground.
- Measure and combine the remaining spices, along with the bay leaf, oregano and thyme in a container and stirring to combine.
- Store in a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid and store in dry, dark place for up to 6 months or longer.