Enchiladas Huastecas con PolloEnchiladas Huastecas con Pollo

Yields 12 enchiladas / Serves 4

La Huasteca is a cultural and geographical area along the Gulf of Mexico, which was home to the Huastec people before the Spanish conquest in the 16^th century. The region includes parts of the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, and Guanajuato.

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce:

  1 pound (454 grams) tomatillos, husks removed, cored, and quartered

  2–3 small serrano chiles, or to taste, destemmed and roughly chopped

  3 small cloves garlic, peeled

  ¼ medium white onion, peeled and roughly chopped

  3 cilantro sprigs

  1 tablespoon (15 grams) lard or vegetable oil

  1 cup (237 ml) chicken stock (preferably homemade)

  Kosher salt to taste

For the filling:

  2 cups (260 grams) poached and shredded chicken breast (see page 70)

For the assembly:

  12 corn tortillas

  Lard or vegetable oil as needed for softening tortillas

For the garnish:

  1 cup (237 ml) crema Mexicana

  1 cup (120 grams) queso añejo or queso fresco, crumbled

  Finely chopped white onion

DIRECTIONS

Start with the sauce:

  Place the tomatillos, chiles, garlic, roughly chopped onion, and cilantro sprigs in a blender and process at medium speed until smooth.

  Heat 1 tablespoon (15 grams) lard or oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add puréed tomatillo sauce, and cook until the color changes from bright green to yellow-green, 15 minutes.

  Add the chicken stock and cook until the sauce has slightly thickened, 15 more minutes.

  Season with salt to taste. Cover, set aside, and keep warm.

Assemble the enchiladas:

  Have the garnishes ready and at hand.

  Gently warm the shredded chicken breast for filling.

  Add lard or oil to a depth of ½ inch (12 mm) in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Heat to low frying temperature, about 300°F (150°C).

  Place each tortilla in the oil and fry for a few seconds, just long enough to soften. Drain on paper towels.

  Dip a softened tortilla in the warm sauce.

  Place 2 tablespoons chicken on the lower third of a tortilla, roll, and place on a warm individual plate, 3 enchiladas per serving, or on a warm serving platter large enough to accommodate the enchiladas in a single layer.

  When the enchiladas are plated, cover with the remaining sauce and garnish with crema Mexicana, queso añejo or queso fresco, and onion.

Notes: Add the serrano chiles a little at a time until the desired level of heat is attained.

A rotisserie chicken breast and low sodium canned chicken broth may be substituted for the chicken to save time.