Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas
For an exciting weeknight meal, start these enchiladas in the morning: toss together tomatillos, aromatics, and seasonings in a slow cooker, with chicken thighs nestled on top. Then come home to an enchanting aroma, and a slow cooker full of fall-apart chicken, and saucy stewed vegetables. The shredded chicken becomes a flavorful filling—along with beans and melty cheese—and the vegetables blend into a piquant salsa verde for these enticing enchiladas. Top them with some creamy queso fresco, crunchy pepitas, and a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion roughly chopped
- 10 cloves garlic smashed
- 8 oz tomatillos husked and cut in half
- 1 green bell pepper seeds removed and roughly chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds or ground cumin
- 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
- Kosher salt and pepper
- ¼ cup chicken broth or water
- 2 chicken thighs bone-in skin-on
- 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more leaves for topping
- 1 jalapeño cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
- Butter for pan
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 15-oz can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup shredded Monterey or cheddar cheese
- ½ cup queso fresco crumbled
- Pepitas (optional) for topping
- Salsa roja or hot sauce (optional) for topping
Instructions
- Place onion, garlic, tomatillos, green bell pepper, cumin seeds, oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp in a slow cooker. Toss together. Pour in broth or water. Place chicken thighs on top, skin side up. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until bubbling and chicken is easily shreddable.
- Remove chicken thighs to a cutting board and set aside to cool.
- Place contents of the slow cooker into a blender. Add cilantro and jalapeño. Blend until smooth.
- Remove skin and bones from chicken thighs. Shred chicken meat with two forks.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a large casserole dish or 9x13-inch pan. Spread about ¼ cup of salsa verde in the bottom of the pan. Pour the rest into a shallow bowl.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When skillet begins to lightly smoke, heat tortillas one at a time for 10-15 seconds per side then wrap in a towel to keep warm.
- Working one at a time, dip tortillas in salsa verde, place on a plate, and fill with chicken, pinto beans, and Monterey or cheddar cheese. Roll into tight cylinders and place in the prepared pan side-by-side.
- Top enchiladas with remaining salsa verde. Sprinkle with quest fresco. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melty.
- Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with pepitas, salsa roja or hot sauce, and cilantro, as desired.