Green Chile Enchilada Recipe - Two Peas & Their Pod (2024)

FAQs

How do you doctor up canned green enchilada sauce? ›

To make your canned enchilada sauce taste homemade, grab some butter, a little flour, and some chicken stock. This trifecta of ingredients infuses a canned enchilada sauce with a satisfyingly thick texture and a rich, savory flavor.

Red enchilada sauce is not similar to green enchilada sauce because red chiles and peppers are used. Green enchilada sauce is very similar to green chile sauce, but the main difference is that green chile sauce often contains vinegar and is thicker.

Green Enchilada Recipe ingredients

Poblano chili peppers – fresh poblanos give the best color and flavor! Tomatillos – fresh tomatillos add a beautiful zesty bright flavor. Onion and Garlic– add savory depth. Corn tortillas– or flour tortillas or a blend of both.

Key Ingredients in Green Enchilada Sauce

Tomatillos: These bright-green, ultra-tangy, and acidic small husky tomatoes are extremely key. And I know what you're thinking: Can I use green tomatoes? They are not the same, and will yield different results. Seek out tomatillos for this recipe.

Sugar And Flour Are All You Need To Fix Bitter Canned Enchilada Sauce.

Adding a starch such as cornstarch, flour, or masa harina. Mix a small amount of the starch (about 1 tablespoon per cup of liquid) with a little cold water to form a slurry, then whisk the slurry into the hot sauce. Cook and stir for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.

Most green enchilada sauce recipes will tell you to add a seeded serrano pepper. This chili packs a fiery punch between 10,000 to 23,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). So, instead of serrano, you can opt for a small jalapeño. Rated only between 2,000 to 8,000 SHU, this will reduce the spice down to only a gentle tingle.

If you are making enchiladas, you may be wondering, “Which sauce should I use?” This is an excellent question, and the most straightforward answer is whatever you prefer. If you are making beef enchiladas, it is more common to pair them with a red sauce, and chicken enchiladas usually have a green sauce.

While some recipes use flour tortillas, corn tortillas are traditional — and for good reason — are the better option for enchiladas. Corn tortillas have a distinct flavor that plays a key part of the enchilada experience, compared to flour tortillas, which are more like a blank slate.

Are yellow or white onions better for enchiladas? ›

Chicken Enchilada Ingredients

Onion and diced green chiles: White, yellow or red onion will work for the enchilada filling sauté. Then I always like to add in a can of diced green chiles too for extra flavor.

The main difference between green enchilada sauce (verde sauce) and salsa verde is that enchilada sauce is cooked, and salsa verde is raw.

WATER, GREEN CHILE PEPPERS, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, SUGAR, JALAPENO PEPPERS, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, CITRIC ACID, MALTODEXTRIN, YEAST EXTRACT, DISTILLED VINEGAR, ONION POWDER, SPICES, GARLIC POWDER, TORULA YEAST, CARAMELIZED SUGAR, SPICE EXTRACTIVE.

Salsa Verde is a fantastic replacement for green enchilada sauce. Most salsa Verde is a little simpler than green enchilada sauce, often just a mix of tomatillos and jalapenos without other spices. Enchilada sauce is often a bit more complicated, including onions, garlic, spices, and other additions.

Add seasonings - Cumin, chili powder, Mexican oregano, etc. are great ways to punch up the flavor of canned enchilada sauce. You might also consider adding a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.

You can try adding spices like black or cayenne pepper, you could try adding minced/powder garlic and/or onion. You could brown some minced meat, add some fresh onion, celery, carrot, and saute them until soft, add some fresh garlic, then mix the sauce, fresh veggies, and meat together.

Add dairy.

Dairy is great at counteracting spiciness and can add a nice cooling effect. You can add milk, sour cream, or even a dollop of plain yogurt over each serving, but beware of adding and then cooking the dairy over higher heat, as it may curdle.

Try something different by using turkey or canned chicken as your protein of choice. Get your veg on with pickled vegetables, grilled vegetables, or spinach. Whether you fry your corn tortillas or use a smidge of broth, there are plenty of simple additions out there to upgrade your enchiladas.