Do you know that enchiladas were one of the recipes included in the first known Mexican cookbook dating back to 1831? May 5th is even National Enchilada Day. Enchilada literally means ”to season with chile”. One of my favorite Mexican dishes has to be enchiladas. There are so many way to make enchiladas. I don’t think I ever make it the same way twice in a row, but I do have certain favorite ingredients I go back to, time and again. The meat varies depending on what I have in my fridge at the moment and I add extra ingredients like veggies as the mood takes me—again, mostly based on what I have on hand. The filling possibilities are endless, as well as the sauce possibilities. The sauce is what we’re focusing on here.
While I have an amazing recipe for a red enchilada sauce, today I’m featuring the sauce that is a favorite in my family—a creamy white enchilada sauce with green chiles. There are many varieties of chile to choose from, ranging from mild to screaming hot. As always, you should use the ingredients you love to make the recipe your own. In my family, we love Hatch green chiles as the flavor is unique and so delicious. We usually get the medium heat, so that it’s not too spicy for my mother-in-law or the kids. I would be happy with fiery hot, but I want my family to be happy so I stick with the medium heat for this family-style meal.
Hatch chiles have an interesting history. An Austrian immigrant named Joseph Franzoy managed to turn the Hatch Valley in New Mexico into a chile capital in the 20th century. He decided to plant vegetables and peppers in his fields when, at that time, most Hatch Valley farmers grew cotton. Who would have known that chiles would prevail! Hatch green chiles are very popular nowadays and can be found in most stores or you can order directly from them online. What a success story! We’re so glad Mr. Franzoy decided to try growing those wonderful peppers because they contribute amazing flavor to our enchilada sauce.
For this white enchilada sauce, start by making a roux using a little butter and some flour in a sauce pan. Let that mixture brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Then, add chicken broth and cook the sauce down until thickened. Once thickened, remove the pan from the heat and add the diced Hatch green chiles and sour cream. There you have it, the sauce is done and ready to add to your enchiladas. We hope you enjoy this amazingly easy and tasty sauce!
