Sarah’s Entomatadas
Generally, Mexican food is not something I cook too often. Since I don’t care for spicey food, peppers in general, and cilantro especially, there isn’t a lot left in the cuisine to cook. Sarah has introduced these lovely flavors into our diet from her home away from home in Mexico City, and we are forever grateful.
Servings: 8-10
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups chicken broth
Or
3 cups of cooked chicken
1 cup of chicken broth
Sauce
2 Guajillo chili peppers
1 T. oil
6 tomatoes
1-2 Serrano peppers (optional)
2 cloves garlic
¼ onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Oregano
Tomato bouillon
12 Tortillas
¼ - ½ c oil
Topping
Queso Fresco
Sour Cream
Chef’s Tip: If you want to make this vegetarian, skip the chicken, use vegetable broth in the sauce, and extra queso fresco cheese or other cheese to fill the tortillas.
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. If using boneless chicken, bring broth to boil in a medium-size sauce pan. Add chicken, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken from broth, retaining one cup of broth. Allow chicken to cool, then shred. If using pre-cooked chicken, skip this step
3. While chicken is cooking remove the stem and seeds from the guajillo peppers, place in a sauce pan and boil in enough water to cover them until soft, approximately 10 minutes.
4. If you are using the serrano peppers (which will add heat to this dish), remove stems and seed from peppers. For medium heat, add 1 pepper, for spicier result, add 2.
5. Heat a large sauté pan on medium-high. Add 1 T. oil to pan and heat until oil is shimmering. Add tomatoes, the Serrano peppers, garlic and onion to the pan.
6. Cook until the tomatoes and onion are soft and beginning to brown.
7. Carefully add tomato mixture to blender. Add the reserved chicken broth, 2 Guajillo peppers, salt, pepper, oregano, and bouillon to the blender and blend until components are incorporated together and a sauce has formed. Taste and adjust seasoning.
8. Return sauce to sauté pan and simmer over medium low heat until thickened somewhat, approximately 20 minutes.
9. Scoop ½ cup of the sauce from the pan and pour over chicken just to moisten somewhat and coat the chicken.
10. In another sauté pan, heat ¼ c. oil. Using tongs, dip first tortilla into heated oil and dredge for 3-4 seconds. Then, still using tongs dip tortilla into tomato mixture. Then place the tortilla in a baking dish and fill with 1 spoonful of chicken, roll and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas are filled.
11. Pour enough of the remaining sauce to cover the tortillas without drowning them and bake in oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through.
12. Sprinkle with queso fresco and dollops of sour cream and serve.