True Food – Chicken, Corn, & Black Bean Enchiladas with Tomatillo Salsa
Do you recall the trip my husband and I took to Arizona back in April? I mentioned a few restaurants we dined at, and how amazing and innovative the dishes were. What I failed to mention was True Food, one of the restaurants we dined at, is partially owned by Andrew Weil, health food guru.
True Food believes in serving food that is healthy for you, but flavorful as well. A combination they claim, that until their first location opened in Phoenix, in 2008, was unheard of. I can tell you from first hand experience that our meals were fantastic! My husband, who’s a picky eater, ordered an appetizer with his meal and loved both dishes, as did I.
I was so excited about our dinner that I asked if they had a cookbook. They did, but were sold out, so of course I found it on Amazon, and ordered it. I’ve prepared several dishes from True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure
Tonight, I decided to make a southwestern dish from the cookbook that is full of flavor, fresh ingredients, and healthy. I’m sorry to say though that my photo doesn’t do this dish justice. I should have taken the shot before dolling out the portions on the plate, since it looked prettier that way. Trust me, this was so delicious none of us could stop eating it. Simple ingredients and simple to prepare – filling the room with an aroma that was comforting while the Enchiladas baked in the oven.
The photo above shows 2 Enchiladas. The one on the left had the Tomatillo Salsa, the one on the right, a fresh tomato salsa I had purchased. I decided to use that on half the recipe in the event my family disliked the Tomatillo Salsa. To my surprise, they loved the Tomatillo Salsa version best, and so did I. The flavor was perfect and authentic tasting. I was impressed!
Most of the recipe ingredients will be familiar to you, with the exception of maybe a few. They are:
This recipe is perfect for a family gathering, Mexican Fiesta night, or when your kids have friends coming over. Everyone will love Chicken, Corn, & Black Bean Enchiladas with Tomatillo Salsa. I hope you’ll try it!
Chicken, Corn, & Black Bean Enchiladas with Tomatillo Salsa
Ingredients:
Tomatillo Salsa:
(makes 2 cups)
6 medium fresh tomatillos, papery skins removed and quartered
1 small onion, quartered
1/4 cup Chicken Stock or water
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon dried whole oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Enchiladas:
2 cups corn kernels, from 2 ears corn or frozen
1 1/2 cups diced roasted chicken
1 (4-ounce) jicama, peeled and diced
1 pablano chile, roasted, seeded, and diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1/3 cup cooked black beans or 1 can, rinsed and drained
3 ounces Manchego cheese, diced
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Manchego cheese
6 tablespoons Greek-style plain yogurt
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
6 lime wedges
Directions:
- Tomatillo Salsa: Place all of the Tomatillo Salsa ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Leftover salsa may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Enchiladas: Place the corn kernels in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. If using frozen, defrost.
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the corn, chicken, jicama, chile, zucchini, black beans, diced Machego, and chili powder. Mix well, adding salt and pepper as needed.
- Spray with non-stick cooking spray then ladle 1/4 cup of the Tomatillo Salsa into a shallow, ovenproof baking dish large enough to hold 12 enchiladas in a single layer.
- Arrange the tortillas on a flat surgace. Spoon the filling into the center of the tortillas. Roll the tortillas around the filling and place them seam side down in the baking dish. Nestle the enchiladas against one another to help them hold their shape. Top with 3/4 cup of the salsa and the shredded Manchego. Bake until hot, about 30 minutes.
- Serve with dollops of yogurt, the cilantro sprinkled on top, and the lime wedges on the side.
Notes:
- For the chicken, I purchased ready-made whole roasted chicken and diced the amount needed.
- To roast the pablano, using tongs place over fire on stove or rub with olive oil and place in 450F degree oven and roast until skin is charred.
- I used canned black beans that I rinsed and drained to remove and excess sodium.
True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure by Andrew Weil, MD and Sam Fox, with Michael Stebner