Creamy Tex-Mex Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

Ingredients

• For the enchiladas:
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, quartered
• 10 black peppercorns
• 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 4-ounce can diced chiles, preferably fire-roasted
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 package taco-sized flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese
• Sour cream
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• For the sauce:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can green enchilada sauce
• 1 jar green salsa, such as Mrs. Renfro's Hot Jalapeno
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
• Kosher salt

Directions

1. Put the chicken in a medium stockpot and add enough water to cover it. Drop in the bay leaves, quartered onion, and peppercorns, then bring everything to a boil over medium heat. Lower to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining, about 15 minutes.
2. Lift the chicken out of the cooking liquid. Either discard the stock or save it for something else. Shred the chicken with 2 forks or your hands, pulling out any tough or fatty pieces as you go. Transfer the shredded chicken to a large bowl, then add the cream cheese, sour cream, milk, chilies, and taco seasoning. Mix until combined, then set the filling aside.
3. Move the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
4. Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once it shimmers, add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring now and then, until the onion turns translucent, about 7 minutes. Pour in the enchilada sauce, salsa, and tomatoes. Add salt, stir well, and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Coat a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Spoon one ladleful of sauce across the bottom. Working with one tortilla at a time, dip it into the sauce to coat, then add about 1/3 cup of the chicken filling down the center. Roll the tortilla around the filling and set it seam-side down in the pan. Continue until all the filling is used, nestling the enchiladas tightly next to each other in a row.
6. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, then bake until the enchiladas are browned and bubbling, about 35 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving with sour cream and lime wedges.