Blackstone White Chicken Enchiladas (Crispy, No Oven Needed)
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Don't press the self-clean button
I ran the self-clean cycle on my oven. It got so hot it fried the thermal fuse.
Long story short, we're without an oven until Thanksgiving.
So we make do with what we have. Right now, that's my outdoor griddle.
The verdict from my family
Zero leftovers.
My son ate 7. My husband ate 4. My daughter ate 2. I got 1.
Everyone asked if we can make them this way from now on. Turns out breaking your oven can teach you something.
Why the griddle beats the oven here
Baked enchiladas sit in sauce and go soggy. On the griddle, the tortillas crisp up first, then the sauce and cheese go on top.
You get a crispy outside, a creamy inside, and the cheese still melts under the dome.
The sauce goes in a small cast iron pan set right on the griddle, so nothing runs off.
What you need
Makes about 10. Double it if your family eats like mine.
For the chicken
1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 4 cups shredded)
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp avocado or vegetable oil, divided
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
For the sauce
3 tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 can (10 oz) green enchilada sauce
2 cans (4 oz each) diced green chiles
1/2 cup sour cream
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack, divided
To finish
10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Chopped cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges
First, cook the chicken (pick one)
Boil it (easiest). Cover the thighs with water or broth and add a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20 to 25 minutes, until 165°F inside. Shred with two forks.
Griddle it (more flavor). Pat the thighs dry and season them. Cook on a medium-high griddle 5 to 6 minutes per side, until 165°F inside. Chop right on the griddle with two spatulas.
Leftover or already-shredded chicken works too.
How to make it
1. Heat two zones. One side medium-high, one side low. Set a small cast iron skillet on the low side.
2. Cook the onion. Add 1 tbsp oil to the hot side. Cook the onion until soft and browned at the edges.
3. Warm the chicken. Add the shredded chicken to the onion. Sprinkle with cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss until warm, then slide it to the low side.
4. Start the sauce. In the skillet, melt the butter. Add the garlic for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour for 1 minute.
5. Finish the sauce. Slowly whisk in the broth and green enchilada sauce. Stir in both cans of green chiles. Simmer until it coats a spoon. Stir in the sour cream and 1 cup of cheese. Keep it on low.
6. Fill and roll. Warm each tortilla a few seconds so it doesn't crack. Fill with chicken, a spoon of sauce and a pinch of cheese. Roll tight.
7. Crisp them. Oil a medium-heat spot with the last 1 tbsp oil. Line them up seam-side down and cook until golden underneath, about 3 minutes.
8. Sauce, cheese, dome. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the top. Cover with the rest of the cheese. Turn that zone to low and cover with a dome until melted, about 3 minutes.
9. Serve. Lift out with a wide spatula. Top with cilantro and serve with lime.
Tips
Eyeball the spices. Taste the chicken after you season it and adjust.
Keep the sauce thick. Runny sauce slides off the griddle.
No dome? Flip a foil pan upside down.
A splash of water under the dome edge makes steam and melts the cheese faster.
Thighs, not breasts. They stay juicy, boiled or griddled.
Works on any flat-top griddle, Blackstone, Member's Mark or whatever you've got.
Pick your griddle
Any 36-inch flat-top with a lid works for this. Here are three, depending on where you like to shop.
What I use: Sam's Club. Mine is the Member's Mark Pro Series 5-burner. It's sold out right now, so this is the newer version.
Shop the Member's Mark griddle at Sam's Club →
The Blackstone at Walmart. The 36-inch Original Omnivore with a hood.
Shop the Blackstone at Walmart →
The Blackstone on Amazon. The same 36-inch Original Omnivore with a hood.
Shop the Blackstone on Amazon →
The rest of the gear
The pick: a basting cover to melt the cheese.
The pick: a 10-inch cast iron skillet for the sauce.
The pick: long griddle spatulas for lifting the enchiladas out in one piece.
No oven? You've still got dinner
If you're stuck without an oven too, start with what you have. You might find a new favorite.
Keep reading: Blackstone elk steak dinner (another no-oven night). Holiday shopping? I check the Black Friday deals every day.
Find more of what's on my griddle in my Walmart storefront and my Amazon storefront.
Follow along on Instagram and Pinterest for more real-life dinners.
