Entrees

Three-Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

Posted on by Pati Jinich
Three-Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
Print Recipe
4.25 from 8 votes

Three-Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas are typical of northern Mexico and use the region’s go-to red salsa, as well as three cheeses and crema.
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cheese, chicken, enchiladas
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 16 corn tortillas homemade or store-bought
  • Double recipe Colorado Chile Salsa
  • 4 cups shredded cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken
  • 1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 2 cups grated Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella (8 ounces)
  • 2 cups grated asadero or Muenster, or Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
  • 1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese or grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano (4 ounces) 
  • 1 ripe avocado halved, pitted, and sliced, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400℉, with a rack in the middle. Heat a comal or large skillet over medium-low heat for at least 5 minutes.
  • One or two at a time, heat the tortillas on the comal or skillet, without overlapping, for about a minute per side, until malleable and warm. Cover or wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm.
  • Pour about 1 cup of the salsa into a 9-x-13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly over the bottom. One by one, place each tortilla on a cutting board and sprinkle about 1/4 cup of the chicken evenly down the middle. Roll up into a chubby soft taco and place seam down in the baking dish. Pour the remaining salsa over the enchiladas and top with the cream. Cover with the grated cheeses and sprinkle the Cotija, Romano, or Parmesan over the top.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese has completely melted and begun to lightly brown around the edges. Serve hot.

Notes

Enchiladas de Pollo con Tres Quesos

Chaya Empanadas

Posted on by Pati Jinich

chaya empanadas
Print Recipe
4.29 from 7 votes

Chaya Empanadas

Chaya Empanadas recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 5, Episode 2 “Mérida: Exploring with the Locals”
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time27 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chaya, edam cheese, Empanadas, masa, pati's mexican table, salsa roja, Yucatán Peninsula
Servings: 8 empanadas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh corn masa
  • 1/2 cup chopped chaya leaves (may substitute spinach or watercress)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 4 cups grated Dutch edam cheese (may substitute Gouda or Muenster)
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • Salsa roja of your choice, warmed, optional

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the masa, chaya, and salt by kneading with your hands.
  • Pinch off a large, golf-ball sized piece of masa and roll it into a ball, then gently flatten with your palms. Place the flattened masa on a piece of plastic wrap and use your fingers to press it into a flat round tortilla about 1/8" thick (alternatively, use a tortilla press). Repeat until all of the remaining masa has been used up.
  • Place 1/2 cup of the grated cheese on one side of the masa round, then fold over to make a half-moon shape. Press around the edges with your fingers to close, using the plastic to help you out. Repeat with all the masa rounds.
  • In a large casserole or heavy bottomed pan, heat ½” of oil to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have a fry thermometer, test by dropping a small ball of masa in the oil; if the oil actively bubbles around it, it's ready.
  • Working in batches, fry the empanadas in the oil until crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place the fried empanadas on a paper towel lined plate to drain off the excess oil. You may serve them with a side of warm salsa roja or salsa of your choice.

Notes

Recipe courtesy Chef David Cetina