Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill and prepares both red and green salsas for these Christmas Enchiladas with Grilled Pheasant.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Two salsas on one pan: Topping half the enchiladas with salsa rojo and half with salsa verde gives a red-and-green Christmas look and two flavors in one skillet.
- Toasted dried chiles and cinnamon: A quick dry-skillet toast wakes up the ancho and chipotle before they're rehydrated, which adds depth to the salsa rojo.
- Sour cream roux sauce: Cooking the roux until nutty, then whisking in stock, sour cream, and pepper jack, gives the filling a creamy base that holds the pheasant together.
- Grilled-first pheasant: Searing over direct 500°F heat adds char before the meat is chopped and folded into the sauce.
Christmas Enchiladas with Grilled Pheasant
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
Latin
Servings
12
Prep Time
1 hour 3 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Calories
229
Indulge in the amazing flavors of fresh-grilled salsas and succulent pheasant with Chef Tom's delicious Christmas Enchiladas recipe! Fire up the Pellet Grill and join in on the cooking fun with this easy-to-follow guide that brings you the best in taste and experience.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb boneless pheasant breasts (or chicken thighs)
-
Sweetwater Spice Jalapeño Lime Fajita Bath
-
Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Taco Seasoning
- 12 small flour tortillas
- sour cream, for serving
- cotija cheese, crumbled, for garnish
- 4 ancho chiles, seeds and stems removed
- 1 dried chipotle chile, seeds and stem removed
- 1 cinnamon stick
-
3 tbsp Cornhusker Kitchen Spray Duck Fat
- 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 tbsp garlic, chopped
-
2 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Taco Seasoning
- Pinch ground allspice
-
Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Salt, as needed
- 12 oz tomatillos, husks removed
- 2 jalapeño peppers
- 1/4 large yellow onion, quartered
- 1/2 bunch cilantro. chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
-
Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Salt, as needed
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 8 oz pepper jack cheese, grated
-
Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Salt, as needed
For the salsa rojo:
For the salsa verde:
For the sour cream sauce:
Directions
- Place the pheasant breasts in a zip-top bag with equal parts Sweetwater Spice Jalapeño Lime Fajita Bath and water. Let soak for 45 minutes.
To make the salsa rojo, preheat a Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet over medium-high heat. Add the dried chiles and cinnamon stick to the dry skillet and toast the chiles on both sides until tender and aromatic, about one minute. Add enough water to cover the chiles. Cover the skillet with a lid. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Let the chiles soak in the hot water for 20 minutes.
While the chiles are soaking, prepare the salsa verde. Combine all ingredients for the salsa verde in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with Noble Saltworks Hickory Smoked Salt, as needed. Set aside.
- When the chiles for the salsa rojo are tender, remove them from the soaking liquid and transfer to the food processor or blender. Reserve 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Discard the cinnamon stick and remaining water.
- Add to the skillet the spray duck fat. Add the onions and cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Transfer the onions and garlic to the blender with the rehydrated chiles. Also add the Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Taco Seasoning and allspice. Blend until smooth. Slowly add the reserved liquid until you reach your desired consistency. You will probably only need about 1 cup of the liquid.
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 500ºF, set up for direct grilling, with GrillGrates in place over the firebox.
- After removing the pheasant from the fajita bath, season generously with the Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Taco Seasoning. Grill the pheasant over direct heat, getting color and char on each side. Cook to an internal temperature of 155ºF. Remove from the grill. Chop into bite sized pieces.
- Turn the grill down to 350ºF-375ºF, set up with the second shelf in place for indirect cooking.
- To make the sour cream sauce, melt the butter in the clean Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet, over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter. Whisk constantly until the roux just begins to brown and becomes aromatic (smells nutty). Slowly pour in the chicken stock, whisking constantly. When the sauce has thickened, whisk in the sour cream and 3/4 of the cheese. Reserve the rest of the cheese for topping the enchiladas.
- Mix the grilled pheasant into the sour cream sauce. Scoop the mixture into a dozen small flour tortillas.
- Pour a layer of salsa verde in the bottom of a Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet. Lay all twelve enchiladas over the salsa, in the skillet. Top half of the enchiladas with the salsa rojo and the other half with the salsa verde. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the enchiladas.
- Place the skillet on the second shelf of the grill and close the lid. Cook until the cheese on top has melted, and the salsa is bubbling up through the enchiladas, about 60-75 minutes.
- Serve the Christmas Enchiladas with Grilled Pheasant family style, topped with more salsa verde, salsa rojo, sour cream, minced cilantro and cotija cheese.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why top half the enchiladas with salsa rojo and half with salsa verde?
The two salsas bring different flavors, smoky chile and bright tomatillo, and together they give the pan a red-and-green look for the holidays.
Why toast the dried chiles and cinnamon stick in a dry skillet before soaking them?
About a minute on each side wakes up the chiles' and cinnamon's aromatics. The toasted chiles are then soaked in hot water for 20 minutes until tender enough to blend into a smooth sauce.
Why cook the roux until it smells nutty before adding the chicken stock?
Browning the flour slightly deepens its flavor and keeps the sauce from tasting raw. Whisking constantly as the stock goes in prevents lumps, and the sour cream and pepper jack finish the sauce into a creamy filling.
Why grill the pheasant before folding it into the sauce?
Searing over 500°F direct heat adds color and char that the sauce alone wouldn't give. Pheasant breasts are lean, so the grill step also builds flavor quickly without drying them out.
Does pulling the pheasant at 155°F mean it's fully cooked?
Poultry, including pheasant, needs to reach 165°F to be considered safe. This recipe's directions pull the meat at 155°F. The chopped pheasant does bake for another 60-75 minutes in the sauce, which should bring it through, but it's best to grill it to 165°F or confirm the finished enchiladas reach 165°F in the center before serving.
Can chicken replace the pheasant?
Yes. The recipe lists chicken thighs as a substitute, and the same marinade, grill, and bake steps work, cooked to 165°F.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5. A hot cast iron grill pan or broiler can sear the pheasant, and the salsas, sauce, and final bake all work on a stovetop and in a regular oven.
Recipe Highlights
Red-and-green salsa split: Two flavors and a festive look in one skillet.
Toasted dried chiles: Add depth to the salsa rojo.
Browned-roux cheese sauce: Creates a creamy filling base.
Direct-heat searing: Adds char to lean pheasant breast.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 9.07 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 229
- Carbs
- 16 grams
- Protein
- 14 grams
- Fat
- 12 grams
- Sodium
- 319 milligrams
