Mexican

Enchiladas Suizas

Name: Enchiladas Suizas
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 cups cooked shredded chicken; 1 1/2 lbs fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed; 2 serrano chiles, stemmed; 1 cup Mexican crema (or heavy cream); 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese; 12 corn tortillas; 1/4 cup chopped white onion and 2 garlic cloves

Tender chicken-filled tortillas bathed in a creamy roasted tomatillo sauce and blanketed with melted cheese, a beloved Swiss-inspired Mexico City classic.

50 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner

18 min prep

28 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy

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Instructions

6 steps

1
Place the tomatillos, serranos, and garlic on a baking sheet and broil 4 inches from the heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until blistered and softened.
2
Blend the roasted vegetables with the onion and 1/2 cup water until smooth, then simmer the sauce in a saucepan for 8 minutes to deepen the flavor and lose the raw edge.
3
Stir the crema into the warm sauce off the heat and season with salt; keeping the cream from boiling prevents it from curdling.
4
Heat the tortillas briefly in a dry skillet or in a splash of oil until pliable, then fill each with shredded chicken, roll snugly, and arrange seam-side down in a greased baking dish.
5
Pour the creamy tomatillo sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas and scatter the Monterey Jack cheese across the top.
6
Bake at 375°F for 18 to 20 minutes until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melted and lightly golden, then serve hot with a sprinkle of chopped onion.

Listahan Family Score™

63/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 90

Kid-friendly 35

Weeknight-easy 54

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 34

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

500

Calories

45 g

Protein

4 g

Carbs

34 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Enchiladas Suizas are closely tied to Mexico City restaurant cooking, especially the style associated with Sanborns and its creamy green enchiladas. The "Suizas" name points to the dairy-rich finish: crema and melted cheese over tortillas, a contrast to sharper, leaner tomatillo salsas used in many home enchiladas.

Listahan note

This version keeps the sauce bright but rounded by roasting the tomatillos first, simmering the puree, then stirring in the crema off the heat. The goal is a creamy green sauce that still tastes like tomatillo, not just cheese and cream.

Technique cues

Roast the tomatillos until they slump and blister; pale, barely softened tomatillos can make the sauce taste grassy.
Warm the tortillas before filling so they bend without cracking. A quick pass through a dry skillet gives them enough flexibility without making the dish greasy.
Add the crema off the heat and do not boil the sauce afterward. Gentle heat keeps the sauce smooth and helps it coat the enchiladas evenly.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Warm tortillas and shred the chicken while the blended tomatillo sauce simmers.
Make-ahead: Roast and blend the sauce earlier in the day, then warm it gently and stir in the crema just before assembling.
Leftover move: Chop leftover enchiladas and fold them into scrambled eggs with extra onion for a fast skillet breakfast.
Cleanup rhythm: Line the broiler pan or baking sheet, then rinse the blender right after pouring out the sauce before the tomatillo puree dries.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Cooked shredded chicken

Filling

Purpose: Mild shredded chicken lets the roasted tomatillo sauce stay in front while giving each tortilla enough substance.

Handling: Shred it into bite-size strands rather than tiny pieces so the filling does not compact.

Adaptation: Shredded turkey works similarly, especially if it is dark meat or lightly moistened with sauce.

Fresh tomatillos

Sauce base

Purpose: Tomatillos bring the tart green backbone that keeps the crema and cheese from feeling heavy.

Handling: Remove the husks, rinse off the sticky coating, and broil until blistered and softened.

Adaptation: Canned tomatillos can work in a pinch; drain them well and simmer the blended sauce a few extra minutes.

Serrano chiles

Fresh heat

Purpose: Serranos add clean chile heat without turning the sauce smoky or dark.

Handling: Stem them before roasting, and use fewer seeds if you want a gentler sauce.

Adaptation: Jalapenos make a milder, rounder sauce with a little less sharpness.

Mexican crema (or heavy cream)

Creamy finish

Purpose: Crema softens the tomatillo acidity and gives the sauce the plush texture associated with this dish.

Handling: Stir it into warm sauce off the heat so it blends smoothly.

Adaptation: Heavy cream is richer and less tangy; a spoonful of sour cream can add back some brightness.

Corn tortillas

Wrapper

Purpose: Corn tortillas bring the toasted masa flavor that anchors the creamy sauce.

Handling: Heat them until pliable before rolling so they do not split in the baking dish.

Adaptation: Small flour tortillas roll easily but make the dish softer and less corn-forward.

Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Melted topping

Purpose: Monterey Jack melts smoothly and gives the top a mild, stretchy finish without overpowering the sauce.

Handling: Scatter it evenly so the sauce can still bubble through in spots.

Adaptation: Oaxaca cheese gives a more elastic pull; mild mozzarella gives a similar melt with less flavor.

Technique notes

Taste the sauce after simmering but before adding crema; tomatillos vary, and this is the best point to adjust salt.
Do not overfill the tortillas. A modest line of chicken rolls more cleanly and leaves room for sauce to settle between the enchiladas.
Bake until bubbling at the edges and lightly golden on top, then serve soon. These are at their best while the tortillas are soft and the cheese is still loose.

Ingredient swaps

Dairy-free direction: Use an unsweetened plant-based cream and a meltable plant-based cheese; the sauce will be lighter and may need a little extra simmering for body.
Milder chile path: Use one serrano instead of two, or replace the serranos with jalapenos for gentler heat.
Weeknight shortcut: Use rotisserie chicken and roast only the tomatillos, serranos, and garlic; the dish still gets its main flavor from the sauce.
Sauce texture choice: Blend until completely smooth for a restaurant-style finish, or pulse lightly if you like small roasted tomatillo bits.

Serve alongside

Mexican red rice
Frijoles de la olla
Jicama orange salad
Calabacitas with corn
Agua de jamaica
Lime agua fresca
Mexican lager

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container with sauce spooned over the top so the tortillas stay moist.
Reheat covered in a low oven or microwave in short bursts, adding a spoonful of water if the sauce has tightened.
Freeze assembled enchiladas before baking when possible; thaw overnight, add cheese, and bake until the center is hot and the sauce bubbles.

Equipment

Rimmed baking sheet
Blender
Saucepan
9-by-13-inch baking dish

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