What is the difference between enchiladas verdes and enchiladas suizas?

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

What do enchiladas verdes taste like?

The green salsa provides light acidity from the tomatillo, moderate heat from the serrano chilli and herbal freshness from 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 crisp, refreshing touch.

How are enchiladas verdes served?

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

Where do enchiladas verdes come from?

Enchiladas in general are native to Mexico, with pre-Hispanic roots in the tradition of bathing maize tortillas in chilli sauces. 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 was consolidated in the late 19th century and documented in 20th-century recipe books.

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Enchiladas verdes: the Mexican classic with tomatillo and shredded chicken

What is it?

Enchiladas verdes are one of the most recognisable and beloved dishes of Mexican cuisine: maize tortillas briefly passed through oil or hot sauce, 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 in fondas, comida corrida restaurants, family dinners and celebrations throughout the country. The combination of the soft tortilla, the tender filling, the sour 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 since pre-Hispanic times. In the chronicles of Sahagún and other friars of the 16th century, mentions appear of tortillas bathed in chilli sauces, direct antecedents 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 cuisine, and its combination with green chilli to make green salsas is one of the basic formulas of national cuisine. The modern version of enchiladas verdes, with shredded chicken and cream, was consolidated 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 throughout the country. Chef Pati Jinich has projected enchiladas verdes onto the international stage 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 used with cheese, and in the north they are made lighter and served flat.

Characteristic ingredients

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

Cultural significance

Enchiladas verdes are national gastronomic heritage and an emblematic dish of everyday Mexican cuisine. They appear on the menus of fondas, comida corrida restaurants, wedding and baptism banquets, and are one of the most prepared dishes in Mexican homes at weekends. Traditional Mexican Cuisine, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, includes this type of preparation of maize tortillas bathed in sauce as one of the pillars of gastronomic identity. Economically, they support a huge chain of producers: small tomatillo farmers (mainly grown in Sinaloa, Jalisco, Michoacán and central Mexico), chicken breeders, nixtamalised tortilla producers and traditional cheese and cream makers. In the Mexican diaspora in the United States, enchiladas verdes are one of the best-known Mexican dishes, alongside tacos and guacamole. Chefs such as Diana Kennedy, Pati Jinich, Margarita Carrillo and Patricia Quintana have written extensively on enchiladas in their different regional variants, contributing to their global diffusion and to the preservation of traditional techniques.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between enchiladas verdes and enchiladas suizas?: Enchiladas verdes are bathed in tomatillo salsa and finished with cream and fresh cheese at room temperature. Enchiladas suizas are enchiladas verdes that are also covered with melted cheese (Chihuahua, Manchego or Gruyère) and gratinated in the oven, resulting in a creamier, hotter dish, supposedly inspired by Swiss cuisine for its abundant use of dairy.
What do enchiladas verdes taste like?: The green salsa provides light acidity from the tomatillo, moderate heat from the serrano chilli and herbal freshness from 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 crisp, refreshing touch.
How are enchiladas verdes served?: They are served three or four per portion on a flat plate, folded or rolled and bathed in hot green salsa. On top is poured Mexican cream, crumbled fresh cheese, chopped onion and, optionally, slices of avocado. They are accompanied by white or red rice and refried beans. They are eaten with knife and fork, mixing the salsa with the cream with each bite.
Where do enchiladas verdes come from?: Enchiladas in general are native to Mexico, with pre-Hispanic roots in the tradition of bathing maize tortillas in chilli sauces. 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 was consolidated in the late 19th century and documented in 20th-century recipe books.