Chicken Enchilada Verdes

Just before her baby shower (and by chance) I got to see my friend Liz make her version of enchiladas. I hope I do her recipe justice.

Ingredients:
2C Shredded Chicken
1C Tomatillo Salsa
3/4C Vegetable Oil
8Tbl Queso Fresco
8 White Corn Tortillas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375'F. Grease a baking dish. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add tortilla. Fry on each side. Dunk tortilla into tomatillo sauce. Transfer to a work surface. Add chicken and queso. Roll and place seam side down into the baking dish. Cover in any remaining sauce and/or cheese. Bake for 10min.

Shred chicken.

Grease a baking dish.
Preheat a pan w/oil over medium heat.

Line up three bowls. One filled with the queso, the next with chicken, and the last (and nearest to stove) with the tomatillo salsa. Place baking dish beside the work surface (cutting board).

Place one tortilla in the hot oil. Fry for 15-25sec.

Flip over. Fry for 10sec.

Remove and drain excess oil. The tortilla should be pliable, not crunchy-fried crisp.

 

Drop into the tomatillo salsa.

 

Drag through to coat each side. 

Place on your work surface.

Add chicken and queso.

Roll up.

Place seam side down in the baking dish.

Repeat. (I couldn't take too many pictures of this process since this recipe moves at a fairly fast pace and required both hands to get messy. I did manage to take a photo halfway through & at the end)

Cover with any remaining salsa and/or queso.

Bake uncovered @ 375'F for 10min.

Done! 

Guacamole

This is my take on guacamole. I like my guac plain and simple.

Ingredients:
2 Haas Avocados
2 cloves Garlic
1teas Lemon or Lime Juice
1/4teas Salt

Directions:
Mince garlic and mash all ingredients together.

Mince garlic. Use a pinch of salt as an abrasive with the blade of the knife to make a paste.

 

Halve avocados. Slice down from the top until your knife meets the pit of the avocado. Rotate the avocado all the way around its pit (360 degrees) against the blade, keeping the knife still.

Twist open.

Remove the pit. Whack the knife into the pit (not your hand). Twist the knife to release the pit.

Remove the pit from the blade by either banging the handle of the knife on the side of a trashbin (trick I learned from my Jason's Deli days). Or grab the pit by hand with a paper towel (for leverage) to remove. Or grab it with your bare hands and run the risk of seriously injuring yourself as I sometimes do. (sorry Mom)

Repeat.

In a criss-cross fashion, slice the avocado's flesh, but not through the skin. 

With a spoon, scoop out the avocado.

Place in a bowl.

Repeat with each half of avocado.

Add the minced garlic, 1/4tsp salt, and lemon (or lime) juice.

Mash with a potato masher or fork for a chunky guacamole.

Bowl up.

Fried Taco Shells

Ingredients:
White Corn Tortillas
Vegetable Oil

Directions:
Preheat oil over med-high heat in a skillet for 4-5min. Add tortilla. With a spatula, push down on tortilla's center. With tongs, fold half of the tortilla over the spatula. Flip over. Fry second side. Drain.

Preheat oil.
Place tortilla in the oil with tongs.

Fry a few seconds to soften.

Press a spatula in the center of the tortilla.

Using tongs, fold one half of the tortilla onto the spatula.

Keep the tongs pressed against the folded tortilla's side. Fry for 20-30sec. 

Flip over and fry the second side. 

Done!

Cook's Notes

The fried shells will exude a slightly golden tint vs. a deep brown.  

Fried Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:
5 Fried Taco Shells (click HERE for that recipe)
1/2C Shredded Chicken
1/2C Shredded Cheese
Tapatio Sauce

Toppings:
Onion
Tomato
Lettuce

Directions:
Divide the chicken and cheese into 5 equal piles. Prepare taco shells. Fill each taco shell with an even amount of chicken and cheese. Top with toppings (optional). Top with Tapatio sauce (not optional).

Line up chicken and cheese.

Fill each shell with the chicken and cheese.

Repeat.

Shred lettuce. Stack lettuce leaves on top of one another. Roll like a cigar and slice across.

Finely dice an onion. Slice through the center.

Then slice across.

Then slice downward.

Dice the tomato. Line up all the toppings.

Very important! Do not forget the Tapatio Sauce!

Top each taco to your heart's content.

Dig in!

Cook's Notes:

Additional/Optional topping suggestions would be cilantro, cabbage, Queso Fresco, sour cream, salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole (click HERE for that recipe, beans, and/or a squeeze of lime.

I used plain shredded chicken. Feel free to season the chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, and/or paprika before adding to the taco shell..