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Enchiladas suizas are my favorite kind of enchiladas! I tend to prefer green over red with almost all Mexican dishes involving salsa, and these are no exception.
Enchiladas Suizas means “Swiss enchiladas.” In my research, I found several stories about how it got its name, so I’m not really sure which is true. The most common stories were:
- They were invented by a Swiss Chef from Zurich that was living in Mexico at the time.
- The cheese on top of the green enchiladas resembles the Swiss Alps.
What are Enchiladas Suizas?
Enchiladas Suizas are basically enchiladas verdes, but creamy from the addition of Mexican crema and sometimes cream cheese. I ate these a lot growing up, and the recipe I am sharing today is how my Abuela made them!
If you’re not that familiar with Mexican food, this is a great introduction! It’s a dish that everyone will like, and they are very easy to make.
Ingredients:
- Salsa verde- this is basically the recipe for enchiladas verdes, but with a couple more ingredients to make it creamy. Jalapeños, serrano peppers, garlic, onion, tomatillos, cilantro, Knorr knocked bouillon, crema, and cream cheese. This is not spicy in my opinion, but to someone who has a low spice tolerance it might be too spicy. Use less serrano peppers if you prefer them mild!
- Chicken- you can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or any other meat filling you prefer. If you have the time and want to make it extra delicious, I recommend making my chicken breast recipe- it’s super flavorful and juicy, not dry at all! You’ll need chicken breast, Lawry’s seasoning salt, garlic, pepper, sour cream, butter, and oil.
- Tortillas- enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas. If you prefer flour, you can use those too but it won’t have the same authentic Mexican taste that corn flour has.
- Melting cheese- any melting cheese is fine! As long as it’s a white cheese. I recommend queso Oaxaca, but mozzarella is commonly used for this too.
Preparation
Most enchiladas are finished in the oven nowadays, but sometimes my Abuela just throws it in the microwave until the cheese is melted. Either way is fine- I personally like casserole style enchiladas because it’s easy and you can make a lot this way.
If you prefer a little crisp & browning of the cheese on top, you can also put it under the broiler for a few minutes.
Recommended
Enchiladas Suizas
Ingredients
Salsa verde
- 3 jalapenos
- 3 serrano peppers, (use less if you don't like it spicy)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 5 tomatillos
- 1/4 onion
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 2 tsp Knorr chicken bouillon, or salt
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1/3 cup crema Mexicana, or sour cream
Chicken (or use shredded rotisserie chicken/leftover chicken)
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp crema Mexicana, or sour cream
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp butter
Other ingredients
- 8-10 corn tortillas
- 8-10 oz Oaxaca cheese
Instructions
Salsa Verde
- Over medium heat, add some oil to a pan and roast the jalapeños, serrano peppers, tomatillos, onion, & garlic until browned all over.
- Add 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium low, then cover for about 5 minutes.
- Let it cool a bit then transfer everything to a blender along with the cilantro, cream cheese, crema, and Knorr chicken bouillon.
- Blend until smooth then taste for salt.
Chicken
- Season the chicken breast with Lawry's seasoning salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Cover with crema or sour cream.
- Over medium-high heat, add some oil to a pan then add the seasoned chicken breast.
- Once the bottom has a good sear, add butter to the pan and flip the chicken over. Baste the chicken a few times with the melted butter, then reduce the heat to low and cover for 10 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the chicken cool before shredding, and add the pan juices to the bowl too. There is a ton of flavor in there!
- Add 1/3 cup of the salsa verde and mix well.
Enchiladas
- Lightly fry corn tortillas in a little oil (about 10 seconds on each side) so that they hold up better when rolling the enchiladas
- Add the chicken and some shredded Oaxaca cheese to the tortilla and roll. Thickness depends on your preference- I prefer larger enchiladas that are stuffed with plenty of fillings!
- Cover the enchiladas in the salsa verde, then top with Oaxaca cheese all over.
- Bake uncovered at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sides are bubbling.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I saw this recipe in a magazine – but it was incomplete! So happy to have found it here – thanks
A+++! I used poblano peppers instead of serrano, and it still came out delicious! The pictures at each step were CLUTCH
Delicious flavor, however we both immediately got hiccups it was very spicy. Recipe didn’t specify if seeds were supposed to be removed. Since no one has commented on the heat, I’m guessing we are just wimps lol.
Hi Lauren, sorry this was too spicy for you! However, I did recommend to use less or no serrano peppers if you have a low spice tolerance. Sometimes you can also get a rogue jalapeño, the spiciest pepper I’ve ever had was actually a jalapeño that almost made me pass out 🤣
This is by far my favorite recipe! I will be adding it to my rotation.
Hello! I just discovered your recipes, and am looking forward to cooking them. Even our local authentic Mexican restaurants don’t use lard in their refritos, which is essential to the flavor, in my opinion.
I have a family member who is allergic to jalapenos and serranos. In your salsa verde for enchiladas, is their another pepper you can recommend to replace these essential ingredients?
Thank you!!
Hello Ginger,
You can use any kind of pepper you like, but it may taste different. Jalapenos and serranos are the main flavor components of this dish, but you can definitely sub them for a different pepper that your family member isn’t allergic to. I think yellow peppers + poblanos make a great combo. Good luck!
Thank you, Stella! I’m looking forward to trying your recipes!
you can substitute peppers for zucchini.
My absolute favorite Enchilada recipe! My whole family can’t get enough.
I made this and it turned out to be absolutely delicious! After making (and thoroughly enjoying) the enchiladas, we used the leftover shredded chicken and tortillas to make fried tacos for dinner the next night! Thank you for your recipe and the very clear instructions……I will be trying your al Pastor recipe next.
Plus these enchiladas be assembled in advance? I’d like to assemble two days ahead? I could pour the sauce over them just before serving. Thoughts? I know they’ll need longer to warm up.