Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). (5 minutes)

In a large pot, bring 3/4 full of water to a boil. Add chicken breasts and season generously with salt and black pepper. Cook until chicken is cooked through, approximately 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add tomatillos, serrano pepper, and garlic. Boil for 12 minutes, until softened.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place poblano peppers in a resealable plastic bag and add 1 tablespoon oil. Toss to coat. Transfer peppers to the hot skillet and roast until dark brown and blistered on all sides, about 5 minutes. Return roasted peppers to the resealable bag and seal. Allow to steam for 10 minutes. Remove peppers from the bag; peel off and discard the skins and stems.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the boiled tomatillos, serrano pepper, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid to a blender. Add onion, cilantro, lime juice, roasted poblano peppers, salt, and pepper to the blender. Blend until smooth, creating the vibrant Salsa Verde.

Remove chicken from the boiling water and shred using two forks.

Heat 1/2 cup oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry tortillas in the hot oil until softened, about 5 seconds on each side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Pour 1/2 of the Salsa Verde into the bottom of a long glass baking dish. Roll a portion of the shredded chicken and some shredded queso quesadilla in a softened tortilla, roll up tightly, and place in the pan, seam-side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, and queso cheese. Cover the enchiladas generously with the remaining Salsa Verde. Use a spoon to drizzle Mexican crema in a decorative zigzag pattern on top. Sprinkle with the remaining queso quesadilla.

Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.