Smoked Chicken Enchiladas
I’ve gone beyond smoked-food-for-its-own-sake and am now preping smoked food to use as ingredients in other dishes. This is partly because some family members are tired of smoked food (a daughter I won’t name can proudly enumerate everything I’ve made on the smoker since I got it), and partly just to do something different.
Yesterday I smoked a couple chickens and used one to make a huge batch of enchilada suizas (double the recipe below). “These are awesome!” said Kate.
Enchilada Suizas
1/2 chicken, or a whole chicken breast
1 small onion
1 TBL fresh cilantro (packed)
2 seven-ounce cans of tomatillos
1 large clove of garlic
some finely chopped hot pepper (to taste)
1 cup of chicken broth
12 corn tortillas
vegetable oil
8 oz jack cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the chicken by smoking OR boiling (please don’t do both!)
Smoker: Smoke for 4 hours at 225°, turning once after 2 hours
Stovetop: Boil for 45 minutes in a large saucepan, with a quartered onion, bay leaf, salt and 6 peppercorns
Let the chicken cool, while you make the salsa verde. Quarter the onion, and combine with cilantro, tomatillos, and garlic in a food processor. Pour into a sauce pan and add the broth, bring to a boil, then let sit for a bit.
Remove the skin and bones from the cooked chicken, then shred using two forks to pull apart the meat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
NOTE: Be careful with the hot oil and the hot tortillas below!
Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium-high. Carefully place one of the tortillas in the hot oil for a couple seconds, then carefully turn over using tongs. Remove the tortilla from the oil using the tongs, letting the excess oil drip back into the skillet. Place the hot tortilla in a large pyrex casserole dish, then place a line of chicken across the center of it and roll it up. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas: soften it in the hot oil, fill it with chicken, then roll it and place it alongside the others.
Pour the tomatillo mixture over the tortillas, the sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Serves 3-4.