Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

These chicken enchiladas are so tasty, you won't even believe it! 

A few months ago, I was searching for a main dish that would go with the Margaritas I was making.  I found it while browsing on the Food Network's website.  It's one of Tyler Florence's recipes... its wonderful and easy to make.

See that nice little chicken there in the back?  The one that's already cooked?  I couldn't believe it, but the recipe actually called for a deli roasted chicken!  Normally, I prefer to make everything from scratch, *but* ... it is a work night, I was running behind... and the recipe called for it.  Can't beat that, right?

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for the recipe

I always pass by these in the grocery store and wonder what they are. Before I can process my thought to actually pick one up, or ask the produce clerk about them, one my kids is asking to have something, running off because they saw someone in the store they knew... etc.

Well... they are tomatillos.  Also called a "Mexican green tomato," it does look like a small green tomato with a papery husk in place of skin. It doesn't taste like a tomato though, it has a tart flavor all its own. These little beauties are what make the green sauces green!

You start by roasting all the vegetables for 15 minutes, then you throw them in the food processor with a little lime juice to make a salsa.

Next, cook the onion, garlic and spices down, add some flour and the chicken broth.  When it thickens, add in some of the salsa, cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken.

This is my version of an assembly line.  Dip the tortillas in the remaining salsa, add some of the chicken mixture and sprinkle with cheese. 

Roll them up like cigars, place them in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

I wish you could smell a picture, because these smelled incredible!  The sour cream really makes the dish though.

We ate these with Mexican rice and black refried beans.

Margaritas

Margaritas!

I had my parents over for a small dinner party on Saturday night. The weather was hotter than normal that day and unfortunately, my house heats up like an oven when it's hot out. I had to plan a light meal that didn't require me to be slaving over the stove all day. In thinking about different refreshing drinks I could serve, margaritas seemed to stick with me. So, Mexican food it was!

Since it was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, I packed up the kids and we went up to the Pike Place Market to get all the produce for dinner.

I was making enchiladas with roasted tomatillo salsa, black bean salad, and yellow rice. I was able to get everything for the dinner except for the chicken here at the market. I brought $60 with me, not knowing how much it was going to cost me. The entire dinner was $12!! The produce at the market is locally grown and much plumper than what you find in the grocery store!

So back to the Margaritas.... This recipe serves 6. It came straight from Mexico, and the keys are to use fresh lime juice and inexpensive tequila. That's right, INEXPENSIVE TEQUILA!!

Kosher salt

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 limes)

1 lime, quartered for glass rims

2 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)

1 cup Triple Sec

3 cups ice

1 cup white tequila

If you like margaritas served in a glass with salt, rub the outside rims of six glasses with a cut lime and dip each glass lightly into a plate of kosher salt.

Combine the lime juice, lemon juice, Triple Sec, and ice in a blender and puree until completely blended. Add the tequila and puree for 2 seconds more. Serve over ice.

These margaritas are surprisingly easy to make and they are hands down the best I've ever had. They are very citrusy and light, and a perfect compliment with mexican food for dinner.

At one point, I had run out of fresh limes and lemons. I grabbed some bottled lime juice and bottled lemon juice out of my fridge and made another batch. Although they were still good, it definitely lost something by not using the fresh limes. Note to self: only use fresh limes from now on!