1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. Dry fry the chiles over a medium heat for 30-60 secs turning constantly, just until they soften (you don’t want to over cook them as they will get bitter). Clean the stem, seeds and veins out.

3. Boil the chiles in just enough water to cover them (around 1 cup), for 2-3 mins. Then allow it to stand for 5 mins, they should be soft.

4. Blend together chiles (including the water), tomatoes, garlic and onion until smooth.

5. Heat the oil in a pot, use a fine sieve and strain the chili mixture through the sieve into the hot oil, you want it to hit the oil when it’s hot so it slightly fries the liquid, in Spanish we call this sofrito. (The sieve will catch all the skin and seeds, you’ll need to use a spoon to help the liquid through the sieve, discard) Add the extra water if needed, epazote (or dried oregano) and salt to taste. Allow to boil for 10 mins. Taste and add more salt if needed.

6. The sauce should be smooth and quite runny (like maple syrup), if it is too thick simply add some more water and boil for another 2 mins.

7. To assemble the enchiladas: Heat the tortillas with a little oil and stack on a plate. Use a large baking dish, fill each tortilla with shredded chicken, roll up and place in a deep baking dish with the tortilla flap at the bottom. 

8. Fill your baking dish with tortillas, making sure they are placed side by side and snug, you don’t want them to move around.

9. Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the prepared tray of chicken filled tortillas, ensuring you cover all tortillas with sauce, some of the sauce will soak into the tortillas and give them a delicious flavour and moisture.

10. Sprinkle over with grated cheese and pop into the oven for 15 mins, or until the cheese is melted and golden.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a lovely fresh green salad.

Provecho!

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