RECIPE: Make Taqueria del Sol’s Enchiladas Suizas
Taqueria del Sol has a ton of great rotating specials, several of which you have shared with us in the past. However, the recipe for the Enchiladas Suizas has always remained a mystery. When Eddie (Hernandez) came out with his amazing cookbook, I thought I would finally have the answer to what makes them so good, but alas, it was not meant to be. If there is a way to get Eddie to share this recipe, it would be greatly appreciated. — Chris Dunn, Senoia
We hear that this enchilada recipe was on the list for Taqueria del Sol chef and co-owner Eddie Hernandez’s cookbook, “Turnip Greens & Tortillas” (Rux Martin, 2018), but some recipes had to be sacrificed. This was one of them. Ever generous, Hernandez was happy to share the recipe with readers.
“This creamy, cheesy casserole is said to have originated in Mexico City in the 1950s,” he said. “‘Suizas’ means ‘Swiss’ and probably refers to the large amount of dairy in this dish. Because it is baked with lots of cheese, like a lasagna, it travels well and makes a great dish to take to a party.”
You can control the amount of heat in the creamy sauce by removing some or all of the seeds and membranes from the peppers before pureeing them with the cream cheese and other ingredients. Make the chicken filling up to a day ahead, then when you’re ready to serve, it’s just a matter of assembling the enchiladas and heating them up.
- 12 ounces cream cheese
- 12 ounces sour cream
- 1 poblano pepper, stemmed, halved, seeds and ribs removed
- 1 whole jalapeno, stemmed
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional as desired
- Vegetable oil for brushing
- 12 (5 1/2-inch) corn tortillas
- Chicken Filling (see recipe)
- 4 to 6 ounces queso quesadilla, sliced
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sweet paprika and 1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices, for garnish
- Make cream cheese sauce: In the bowl of a food processor, combine cream cheese, sour cream, poblano, jalapeno, cilantro and salt into the bowl of a food processor and puree. Taste for seasoning. Set aside.
- To assemble the enchiladas: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- In a small skillet over medium-high heat, add enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom. Place 1 tortilla in the oil. Cook until the tortilla begins to bubble, about 30 seconds. Use tongs to gently turn the tortilla. Heat another 30 seconds then remove to the paper-towel lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, adding vegetable oil as necessary to the skillet and layering the tortillas on paper towels to drain.
- Place about 1/2 cup chicken filling in the center of each tortilla. Roll tightly and place it, seam-side down, in prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, arranging tightly in the dish so they all fit.
- Cover with the cream cheese sauce and arrange queso quesadilla on top. Bake until bubbly and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Garnish with paprika and pickled jalapenos. Serve hot. Serves: 6.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 737 calories (percent of calories from fat, 58), 45 grams protein, 33 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 48 grams total fat (24 grams saturated), 203 milligrams cholesterol, 1,936 milligrams sodium.Chicken Filling
We tested this recipe with a chicken just over 3 pounds and it yielded exactly the five cups of meat needed for the filling. It also yielded two quarts of chicken stock, which we froze for anther use. If you don’t have time to cook your own chicken, you can shred the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- 1 3 -to 4-pound chicken, cut into quarters
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 1 small carrot, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons salt, plus additional as desired
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
- Place the chicken, celery, carrot and 2 tablespoons salt in a stockpot and cover with 2 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease heat to maintain a simmer and cook until chicken is just done, about 25 minutes. Don’t overcook, as the chicken will be cooked again. Remove the chicken from the liquid and when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and set aside. Use two forks or your fingers to shred the chicken. Set aside. Return the skin and bones to the stockpot with the cooking water and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer an additional 20 minutes. Strain and cool the stock and reserve for another use. Chicken may be prepared 1 day in advance; store the chicken and stock separately in the refrigerator.
- Heat the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaf and cook until onions are soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Stir in 5 cups shredded chicken. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. When filling has heated through, remove from heat, remove and discard bay leaf, and proceed with filling enchiladas. Makes: 5 3/4 cups filling.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per 1/4 cup: 101 calories (percent of calories from fat, 27), 16 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 3 grams total fat (trace saturated fat), 46 milligrams cholesterol, 655 milligrams sodium.From the menu of... Taqueria del Sol, 1200-B Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-352-5811, taqueriadelsol.com.
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you’d like to make at home? Tell us and we’ll try to get it. We’ll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can’t answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put “From the menu of” and the name of restaurant in the subject line.
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