Gringo Smoked Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

We only had one Mexican restaurant in the town I grew up in and it was called Pancho’s. I remember going there as a kid with my parents, and we absolutely loved it. This was way before Mexican restaurants were common place, and I’m willing to bet that Pancho’s is responsible for most of the mid south’s (well Memphis’) love of Mexican cuisine. Besides the warm tortillas and free cheese dip, my favorite menu item was the Enchiladas.

You can make enchiladas with just about any meat or no meat at all (Cheese and Onion enchiladas are the bomb). For this recipe I smoke a whole chicken using my Grande Gringo Seasoning and make a spicy, creamy white sauce to go over the top. It’s finished off with a ton of shredded cheese and cooked right back on the pit…I call it Gringo Smoked Chicken Enchiladas. Here’s how it’s done:

First you have to smoke a whole chicken. I fired up my Traeger pellet grill set for 300 degrees. The outside of the chicken is dried with paper towels, then brushed with canola oil. The oil helps the skin to brown and makes the seasoning stick.

It gets seasoned with a good dose of my Grande Gringo Seasoning. It takes about an hour and a half for the chicken to cook at 300 degrees. Half way through I start monitoring the internal temperature with my Thermoworks DOT. The internal temp needs to hit 165 in the breast and the chicken is done. Let it rest for 15 minutes or so.

While the chicken is resting make the White Enchilada Sauce…

1 medium onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 4oz can diced green chilies drained
16oz Salsa Verde
16oz sour cream
8oz Monterrey Jack cheese grated
1 teaspoon Grande Gringo seasoning
1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped

Start with oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat, add diced onion for 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and the drained diced green chilies. Let that heat really well and cook off most of the moisture from the chilies. Now add the salsa verde and sour cream and stir until it all blends. Then add the cheese, Grande Gringo and cilantro and mix until cheese is melted and smooth.

Once the chicken has cooled shred it by hand into bite size pieces. Place the chicken in a large bowl and pour half of the sauce mixture over it. Toss to combine and get ready to assemble the enchiladas.

Now traditionally enchiladas are made using corn tortillas but you can use flour if you want (to me that’s more of a burrito but I ain’t judging). You will need a glass casserole dish or baking pan. Laddle a little of the white sauce into the bottom of the pan.

Heat the tortillas in hot oil for a few seconds on each side to help keep them from tearing. Place a couple Tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the center and roll up the edges. Place the enchilada seam side down in the casserole dish and continue assembling until you fill the dish.

Top the enchiladas with the remaining white sauce and smother with shredded Monterrey Jack. I also add slices of fresh jalapeños and a little more Gringo seasoning just for added kick. Place the baking dish on the pit set for 350 degrees now and let it cook for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.

You can serve these enchiladas with you favorite sides and of course you need several margaritas to wash it all down!