Tacuba Style Chicken Enchiladas

Decadent chicken enchiladas in a luscious poblano cream sauce

I usually make enchiladas out of store-bought salsa verde and leftover rotisserie chicken for weeknight-friendly entertaining, but these tacuba style enchiladas from Rick Bayless are worthy of a Sunday night dinner or special occasion. The star of the dish is the poblano cream sauce, which is basically a rich bechamel that's blended with spinach, garlic, and roasted poblano peppers. Some of the sauce gets tossed with shredded chicken to form the filling and the remaining amount gets poured on top of the enchiladas. If that's not decadent enough, the top is sprinkled with grated cheese before baking in the oven until bubbling. These are the best enchiladas I've ever eaten and my husband can't stop talking about them!


More Enchilada Recipes:
- Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
- Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Enchiladas
- Shrimp Enchiladas


Tacuba Style Chicken Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce:
Ingredients
- 12 corn tortillas
- 3 c. cooked, shredded chicken (about 3 cooked chicken breasts or a small rotisserie chicken)
- 2 c. milk
- 2 c. chicken broth
- 1 c. grated cheese, such as Monterey Jack
- 1 c. baby spinach
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 6 tbsp. butter
- 2 poblano peppers
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- canola oil, for brushing tortillas
- kosher salt
- black pepper

Recipe

• Roast the poblano peppers on a gas flame, under the broiler, or on the grill for 5-10 minutes, or until skin are blackened all over. Seal in a plastic bag and let steam for 10 minutes, then rub off the skin, discard the stems and seeds, and rough chop.
• Place the peppers in a blender or food processor with the spinach and quickly puree.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a sauce pot over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then whisk in the flour, stirring constantly so there are no lumps, for a minute or two.
• Combine the milk and chicken broth and microwave until warm. Slowly add the mixture to the sauce pot, stirring so there are no lumps.
• Add 1 1/2 tbsp. salt and a pinch of pepper and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
• Pour the sauce into the blender with the poblano mixture and puree until smooth. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
• Heat the oven to 350F.
• Combine 1 c. sauce with the the chicken in a bowl and set aside. Pour 1 c. sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish.
• Brush the tortillas with oil and lay on a baking sheet. Place in the oven for 2 minutes, or until warm.
• Working one at a time, fill a tortilla with some of the chicken and roll up tightly. Place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
• Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is starting to brown.
• Let cool slightly, then divide onto plates and eat.

Serves four-six