Creamy Chicken Enchiladas (Enchiladas Suizas)

I love Mexican food, I always thought that it had to be very hot fiery food but as I discovered more about their food I found that although they use a lot of chillies it is often more for the flavour than the heat and that is the case with this dish, the cream and the cheese balance out any real heat so you end up with a wonderful creamy spicy dish which works well with plain rice or my green rice and a small green salad.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 medium chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 3 fresh green chillies
• 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 125 ml finely chopped white onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Half a teaspoon  salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 125 ml chicken stock or broth
• 375 ml whipping cream
• 12 x 6 inch flour or corn tortillas
• 500 ml grated cheddar cheese
• Sliced green onion tops and red pepper slivers for decoration

Method

1. Arrange chicken pieces in single layer in 12-inch (30-cm) skillet. Sprinkle with chillies, tomato, onion, garlic, salt, cumin and add stock.
2. Heat over medium-high heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, .covered, until chicken is very tender, about 1 hour.
3. Remove chicken pieces from skillet with tongs, shaking off pieces of vegetables. Let chicken stand until cool enough to handle.
4. Skim and discard fat from top of stock mixture in skillet. Gently heat mixture to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 500 ml, it should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Then transfer mixture to 13 x 9 x 2-inch (33 x 23 x 5-cm) baking dish.
5. Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken, tearing the chicken into coarse shreds.
6. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat cream in medium skillet over medium heat until just below boiling the remove from heat.
7. Dip each tortilla in hot cream until limp, this takes a few seconds then remove draining off excess cream.
8. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the chicken down centre of tortilla; roll up and place seam-side down on sauce in baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken. Pour remaining cream evenly over enchiladas.
9. Sprinkle enchiladas evenly with cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with green onion and bell pepper