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Tonight’s hearty enchiladas owe their complex flavor to a sensational Mexican salsa verde. By roasting tomatillos—the tart green fruit that forms the base of the green sauce—we’re bringing out their smoky-sweet depth, before simmering them with pickled jalapeño for a zesty kick. Brimming with chicken, black beans and cheese, these enchiladas make for elevated Tex-Mex fare.

Ethan Mick

with Salsa Verde

Cheesy Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas

Chicken Tenders

Flour Tortillas

15-Ounce Can Black Beans

Fontina Cheese

Tomatillos

Garlic

Yellow Onion

Sliced Pickled Jalapeño Pepper

White Wine Vinegar

Mexican Spice Blend (Ancho Chile Powder, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Ground Cumin & Dried Mexican Oregano)

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Remove and discard any tomatillo husks. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Drain and rinse the beans. [Peel and small dice the onion.](#) [Peel and mince the garlic.](#) Grate the cheese. Roughly chop the pepper. Thoroughly wash your hands and cutting board immediately after handling the pepper. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; chop into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a bowl. Thoroughly wash your hands and cutting board immediately after handling the chicken.

Prepare the ingredients:

Place the **tomatillos** on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Roast 11 to 13 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on.

Roast the tomatillos:

While the tomatillos roast, season the **chopped chicken** with salt, pepper and the **spice blend**; toss to coat. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken; cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Add the **beans** and **⅓ cup of water**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat and stir in **half the vinegar**. Transfer to a bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Wipe out the pan.

Cook the chicken & make the filling:

In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the **onion** and **garlic**;  season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the **roasted tomatillos**, **½ cup of water** and **as much of the pepper as you’d like**, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and smashing the tomatillos with the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened and the tomatillos have broken down. Turn off the heat and stir in the **remaining vinegar**;  season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the salsa verde:

Place the **tortillas** on a work surface. Spread a thin layer of the **salsa verde** and **½ cup of the filling** into the bottom of a baking dish. Divide the **remaining salsa verde**, **remaining filling** and **⅓ of the cheese** between the tortillas; tightly roll up each tortilla around the filling. Transfer to the baking dish in a single layer, seam sides down. Evenly top with the **remaining cheese**; season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the enchiladas:

Place the **enchiladas** in the oven and bake 11 to 13 minutes, or until lightly browned and the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 2 minutes before serving. Divide between 2 dishes. Enjoy!