Green enchiladas: what they are, what's in them and recipe

What is it?

Green enchiladas are one of the most recognisable and best-loved dishes of Mexican cooking: maize tortillas passed briefly through oil or hot salsa, generally filled with shredded chicken, folded or rolled, and covered with an abundant green salsa of tomatillo and serrano chilli. They are finished with soured cream, crumbled fresh cheese, chopped white onion and, optionally, slices of avocado. They form part of the national repertoire of home cooking and are found at food stalls, comida corrida restaurants, family dinners and celebrations throughout the country. The combination of the soft tortilla, the tender filling, the tangy and spicy green salsa and the refreshing dairy makes them one of the most balanced and comforting dishes on the Mexican table. They are served hot and accompanied by white or red rice and refried beans.

Origin and history

The name enchilada comes from the verb enchilar, which in Mexican Spanish means to coat or bathe with chilli, a technique documented from pre-Hispanic times. The chronicles of Sahagún and other 16th-century friars include mentions of tortillas bathed in chilli salsas, the direct forerunners of modern enchiladas. The use of tomatillo or miltomate (Physalis ixocarpa), a plant native to the Mexican highlands cultivated since pre-Hispanic times, is essential in central Mexican cooking, and its combination with green chilli to make green salsas is one of the basic formulas of the national cuisine. The modern version of green enchiladas, with shredded chicken and cream, took shape in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in central Mexico, especially in Mexico City, Puebla and Tlaxcala. The book El Cocinero Mexicano of 1831 already records variants of tortillas in green salsa. In the 20th century, recipe books such as those of Josefina Velázquez de León standardised the recipe and spread it across the country. The chef Pati Jinich has projected green enchiladas onto the international scene as one of the country's representative dishes. Each Mexican region has developed nuances: in Oaxaca they are thicker with roasted tomatillo, in Veracruz they are also made with cheese, and in the north they are made lighter and served flat.

Characteristic ingredients

The tomatillo or miltomate is the soul of the green salsa: a small green fruit, wrapped in a papery husk, tart and slightly sweet, that is boiled or roasted to make salsas. For green enchiladas, the tomatillos are boiled together with serrano or jalapeño chillies and blended with onion, garlic, fresh coriander and salt; some versions add chicken stock or a touch of epazote. The salsa is seasoned in a pan with a little oil and kept hot. The maize tortillas are passed briefly through hot oil to soften them or dipped directly into the hot salsa; the traditional filling is cooked, shredded chicken, seasoned with salt and onion, though vegetarian versions are also made with panela cheese, requesón, beans, mushrooms or courgette. They are rolled or folded and arranged on a plate, bathed in more hot salsa. The traditional accompaniments are soured Mexican cream, crumbled fresh cheese of the Cotija or ranchero type, raw chopped white onion, and avocado. Some variants include fried eggs on top (green enchiladas with egg) or are made suizas, gratinated with melted cheese in the oven.

Cultural significance

Green enchiladas are part of the national gastronomic heritage and an emblematic dish of everyday Mexican cooking. They appear on the menus of food stalls, comida corrida restaurants, wedding and christening banquets, and are one of the dishes most prepared in Mexican homes at weekends. Traditional Mexican Cuisine, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, includes this kind of preparation of maize tortillas bathed in salsa as one of the pillars of gastronomic identity. Economically, they sustain an enormous chain of producers: small tomatillo farmers (grown mainly in Sinaloa, Jalisco, Michoacán and central Mexico), poultry breeders, makers of nixtamalised tortilla and of traditional cheeses and creams. In the Mexican diaspora in the United States, green enchiladas are one of the best-known Mexican dishes, along with tacos and guacamole. Chefs such as Diana Kennedy, Pati Jinich, Margarita Carrillo and Patricia Quintana have written extensively about enchiladas in their different regional variants, contributing to their global spread and to the preservation of traditional techniques.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between green enchiladas and enchiladas suizas?

Green enchiladas are bathed in tomatillo salsa and finished with cream and fresh cheese at room temperature. Enchiladas suizas are green enchiladas that are additionally covered with melted cheese (Chihuahua, Manchego or Gruyère) and gratinated in the oven, resulting in a creamier, hotter dish, supposedly inspired by Swiss cooking for its abundant use of dairy.

What do green enchiladas taste like?

The green salsa provides the light acidity of the tomatillo, the moderate heat of the serrano chilli and the herbal freshness of the coriander. The tortilla, softened by the salsa, is tender and moist. The shredded chicken has a neutral flavour that absorbs the salsa. The soured cream and fresh cheese provide fat and salt that balance the heat, and the raw onion adds a crunchy, refreshing note.

How are green enchiladas served?

They are served three or four per portion on a flat plate, folded or rolled and bathed in hot green salsa. Mexican cream, crumbled fresh cheese, chopped onion and, optionally, slices of avocado are poured on top. They are accompanied by white or red rice and refried beans. They are eaten with knife and fork, mixing the salsa with the cream in each bite.

Where do green enchiladas come from?

Enchiladas in general are native to Mexico, with pre-Hispanic roots in the tradition of bathing maize tortillas in chilli salsas. The green version with tomatillo (a native Mexican fruit cultivated since pre-Hispanic times) is typical of central Mexico, especially Mexico City, Puebla and Tlaxcala. The modern recipe with chicken and cream took shape in the late 19th century and was documented in 20th-century recipe books.