Win Game Day — Or, Any Day — With This Easy, Cheesy Enchilada Skillet

Comforting Portobello, Poblano & Pepper Jack Cheese Enchilada Skillet

If you’ve never experienced the joy of mushrooms and enchilada sauce together, I implore you to make these right away. Portobello mushrooms have a meat-like heartiness that pairs beautifully with the earthy, smoky heat of poblanos; add sweet corn and broiled pepper Jack cheese and OMG. These are inspired by one of my go-to Mexican restaurants in Chicago, but I’ve made it a little easier by skipping the rolling and just throwing everything into one skillet for one delicious hot mess.

ENCHILADA SAUCE

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ medium yellow onion, diced

• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

• ½ cup vegetable broth

• ¹⁄³ cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder

FILLING

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 portobello mushroom caps, sliced into strips

• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and cut into thin strips

• 1½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)

• ½ medium yellow onion, sliced

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips

• 8 ounces shredded pepper Jack cheese (2 cups)

GARNISH AND SERVING

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

• Pickled Red Onions

• Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

1. Make the sauce: In a large, deep, oven-safe skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and jalapeño and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor. Add the tomato sauce, broth, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, salt, and chipotle chili powder. Blend on high speed until the sauce is smooth, about 1 minute.

2. Preheat the broiler to high.

3. Prepare the filling: In the same skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms, poblanos, corn, onion, salt, and pepper to taste. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the enchilada sauce, tortilla strips, and ½ cup of the cheese. Stir again to combine and simmer for a few minutes to integrate the flavors.

4. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the enchilada mixture. Place the skillet in the oven under the broiler and broil until the cheese melts and is slightly golden brown in places, watching carefully to avoid burning, 2 to 4 minutes.

5. Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving, then top with cilantro and Pickled Red Onions. Serve warm with a dollop of yogurt.

6. To store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through.

“The Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook” by Monique Volz

Buy it

Reprinted with permission from The Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook by Monique Volz copyright © 2024.Photographs by Kristin Teig. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.