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Pheasant Enchiladas with Green Sauce

If you look through some of the recipes that I've posted over the years, you'll see that a lot of what I cook comes from the south and southwest. A lot of Cajun, Southwestern and Mexican flavors ... what can I say, I like it HOT! These Spicy Green Enchiladas are no exception, with a homemade Enchiladas sauce and super spicy Salsa Verde. These Green Enchiladas are going into our weekly dinner rotation!

I work on Gundog Central pretty much every single day, either approving ads or making little changes here and there to make the site better. It never feels like work because it's just a combination of thing I love ... Computers, Dogs, Hunting and Cooking. I don't always have time to sit down and pound out a lot of code for the site and adding new features can take weeks of programming and a lot of focus on my part. As often as not, I end up breaking something and don't end up catching it for a few days. It seems like the older I get, the harder it is for me to do, with my eye sight getting worse and arthritis in my hands. Doing these recipes allows me to contribute to the site, without written a lot of code or risk breaking the website. I'm not a chef and I don't really consider myself a cook, though I do enjoy cooking. I share these recipes, not so much as a how to, but in the hopes that inspires ideas of your own. Doing these recipes is a lot like programming, in that you're creating a set of instructions for someone to follow, that's basically all computer software is.



I have a little notepad I keep with food ideas, whenever something comes to me, I write it down. I have stuff that's been on my list for years, that I've just never got to, and other things that end up on there for a few days before I have to make them. When I decide that I want to make something, I'll generally spend a lot of time researching how it's done, especially if it's something I don't normally make. I try to make as much as I can from starch, just to figure out how it's done, but sometimes you just don't have time for all that. I generally write a rough draft recipe, with what ingredients I think I'll need or want to include. Then when I start cooking, I take LOTS of photos, mainly so I can go back and review what I did or what order I did it in. I'll also take notes on my phone, writing the recipe down as I'm cooking it. The first rough draft is just a starting point and often I'll change up what I'm doing in the middle of cooking based what I've tasted or see. I've even started out cooking one thing and changed it to something else in the middle of cooking.

Ingredients

Salsa Verda

Green Enchilada Sauce

Taco Seasoning

Enchiladas

Instructions

Salsa Verde

Step #1 Gather all ingredients together. Tomatillos, Jalapenos, Poblano Pepper Onion, Garlic, Lime and Cilantro.

Step #2 Remove the husk from the Tomatillos

Step #3 Wash the Tomatillos and Peppers and remove skin from Onion

Step #4 Quarter the Onion then place the Tomatillos, Peppers and Onion on a small baking sheet.

Step #5 Place in the oven with Broiler set to HI. Allow one side to char, then turn everything over. Keep a close eye on this, you want it to char, not burn.

Step #6 Once everything is nicely charred, remove from oven.

Step #7 Remove the outer skin from the Poblano Pepper

Step #8 Remove stems from peppers, then add to food processor. Add Onion, garlic cloves and Cilantro. Season with Salt and squeeze in juice from one Lime.

Step #9 Pulse the food processor a few times until you get the consistency you want. Taste and add additional salt if needed.

Step #10 Remove to a bowl once you're happy with the taste and consistency.

Green Enchilada Sauce

Step #1 Gather together your Jalapeno's, Onion and Garlic Cloves.

Step #2 Remove the stems from Jalapeno's then cut them in half.

Step #3 Remove the seeds from the Jalapeno's, scraping out with a spoon.

Step #4 Remove the skin from the Onions then quarter.

Step #5 Add Jalapenos, Onion and Garlic to baking sheet. Drizzle with a little Olive Oil.

Step #6 Place in the oven with broiler set to HI.

Step #7 Remove from oven with everything is nicely charred.

Step #8 Add charred Peppers, Onions and Garlic to food processor.

Step #9 Add Hatch Green Chiles to food processor.

Step #10 Squeeze in juice from one lime.

Step #11 Add in Pheasant Stock, Cilantro, Salt, Pepper and Cumin, then turn food processor to high or blender to puree.

Step #12 Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.

Step #13 Remove to a bowl

Step #14 Place both sauces in the refrigerator to cool off and thicken.

Pheasant Enchiladas

Step #1 Lay Pheasant Breast out and allow to reach room temperature if frozen. Dry with paper towels.

Step #2 Dice up Onion and Garlic

Step #3 Chop up some Cilantro

Step #4 Season skin side generously with Salt and Pepper.

Step #5 Season with Taco Seasoning.

Step #6 Add one tablespoon of Olive Oil and one tablespoon of butter to skillet, setting heat to medium high.

Step #7 When skillet is hot, place pheasant breast in pan, skin side down.

Step #8 While the skin side is cooking, season the other side with Salt, Pepper and Taco Seasoning.

Step #9 Allow to cook 4 to 5 minutes, until brown, then flip.

Step #10 When internal temperature reach around 155 remove Pheasant to a plate and allow to rest.

Step #11 Add diced Onions to hot skillet.

Step #12 Season Onions with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until Onions are translucent.

Step #13 Add chopped Garlic and cook for another minute.

Step #14 Add one can of Green Chiles to a mixing bowl. Add in one cup of Salsa Verde. Juice from one Lime. One tablespoon of Taco Seasoning, Salt and Pepper. Add chopped Cilantro.

Step #15 Add cooked Onions and Garlic to mixing bowl.

Step #16 After the Pheasant has cooled off, start shredding it with two forks or your hands.

Step #17 Once shredded, sprinkle with additional Taco Seasoning.

Step #18 Add shredded Pheasant to mixing bowl.

Step #19 Combine all the ingredients in the mixing bowl. This will be our filling for the Enchiladas.

Step #20 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with some cooking spary, then spoon in enough of the green sauce to cover the bottom of the dish.

Step #21 Place all the flour tortilla on a plate.

Step #22 Spoon some of the filling on top of one of the flour tortillas

Step #23 Cover with shredded cheese.

Step #24 Roll up and place in baking dish, with tortilla seam facing the bottom of the dish.

Step #25 Repeat until your baking dish is full or you run out of filling.

Step #26 Cover with remaining green sauce. Using a spatula to spread out into an even layer, working sauce down into groves.

Step #27 Cover with shredded Colby Jack Cheese.

Step #28 Place in the oven to bake for 10 minutes

Step #29 After the cheese has melted, set broiler to HI and brown the top of the cheese. Watch carefully.

Step #30 Remove from oven when cheese starts to brown.

Step #31 Sprinkle with fresh chopped Cilantro.

Step #32 Allow to cool, then serve.

Recipe Card

Pheasant Enchiladas with Green Sauce

Written by Jeff Davis Visit : Visit authors website

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Prep Time: 30 min - Cook Time: 30 min

Ingredients

Salsa Verda

5 whole Tomatillos

2 whole Jalapenos

1 whole Poblano Pepper

2 clove(s) Garlic

1 Small Sweet Onion

1 Juice from one Lime

1 bunch Fresh Cilantro

Salt

Green Enchilada Sauce

1-2 whole Jalapenos

4 oz can Green Chiles

1 Small Sweet Onion

4 clove(s) Garlic

1 cup(s) Pheasant Stock

2 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Salt

Black Pepper

1/8 cup(s) Fresh Cilantro

1 Juice from one Lime

Taco Seasoning

2 tbsp Chili Powder

1 tbsp Ground Cumin

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Enchiladas

4 Pheasant Breast

Green Enchilada Sauce

Salsa Verde

6-8 10 inch Flour Tortillas

4 oz Can Hatch Green Chiles

1 Small Sweet Onion

6 clove(s) Garlic

1-2 tbsp Taco Seasoning

Shredded Cloby Jack Cheese

Salt

Ground Black Pepper

1 Lime

Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Salsa Verde

Step #1 - Gather all ingredients together. Tomatillos, Jalapenos, Poblano Pepper Onion, Garlic, Lime and Cilantro.

Step #2 - Remove the husk from the Tomatillos

Step #3 - Wash the Tomatillos and Peppers and remove skin from Onion

Step #4 - Quarter the Onion then place the Tomatillos, Peppers and Onion on a small baking sheet.

Step #5 - Place in the oven with Broiler set to HI. Allow one side to char, then turn everything over. Keep a close eye on this, you want it to char, not burn.

Step #6 - Once everything is nicely charred, remove from oven.

Step #7 - Remove the outer skin from the Poblano Pepper

Step #8 - Remove stems from peppers, then add to food processor. Add Onion, garlic cloves and Cilantro. Season with Salt and squeeze in juice from one Lime.

Step #9 - Pulse the food processor a few times until you get the consistency you want. Taste and add additional salt if needed.

Step #10 - Remove to a bowl once you're happy with the taste and consistency.

Green Enchilada Sauce

Step #1 - Gather together your Jalapeno's, Onion and Garlic Cloves.

Step #2 - Remove the stems from Jalapeno's then cut them in half.

Step #3 - Remove the seeds from the Jalapeno's, scraping out with a spoon.

Step #4 - Remove the skin from the Onions then quarter.

Step #5 - Add Jalapenos, Onion and Garlic to baking sheet. Drizzle with a little Olive Oil.

Step #6 - Place in the oven with broiler set to HI.

Step #7 - Remove from oven with everything is nicely charred.

Step #8 - Add charred Peppers, Onions and Garlic to food processor.

Step #9 - Add Hatch Green Chiles to food processor.

Step #10 - Squeeze in juice from one lime.

Step #11 - Add in Pheasant Stock, Cilantro, Salt, Pepper and Cumin, then turn food processor to high or blender to puree.

Step #12 - Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.

Step #13 - Remove to a bowl

Step #14 - Place both sauces in the refrigerator to cool off and thicken.

Pheasant Enchiladas

Step #1 - Lay Pheasant Breast out and allow to reach room temperature if frozen. Dry with paper towels.

Step #2 - Dice up Onion and Garlic

Step #3 - Chop up some Cilantro

Step #4 - Season skin side generously with Salt and Pepper.

Step #5 - Season with Taco Seasoning.

Step #6 - Add one tablespoon of Olive Oil and one tablespoon of butter to skillet, setting heat to medium high.

Step #7 - When skillet is hot, place pheasant breast in pan, skin side down.

Step #8 - While the skin side is cooking, season the other side with Salt, Pepper and Taco Seasoning.

Step #9 - Allow to cook 4 to 5 minutes, until brown, then flip.

Step #10 - When internal temperature reach around 155 remove Pheasant to a plate and allow to rest.

Step #11 - Add diced Onions to hot skillet.

Step #12 - Season Onions with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until Onions are translucent.

Step #13 - Add chopped Garlic and cook for another minute.

Step #14 - Add one can of Green Chiles to a mixing bowl. Add in one cup of Salsa Verde. Juice from one Lime. One tablespoon of Taco Seasoning, Salt and Pepper. Add chopped Cilantro.

Step #15 - Add cooked Onions and Garlic to mixing bowl.

Step #16 - After the Pheasant has cooled off, start shredding it with two forks or your hands.

Step #17 - Once shredded, sprinkle with additional Taco Seasoning.

Step #18 - Add shredded Pheasant to mixing bowl.

Step #19 - Combine all the ingredients in the mixing bowl. This will be our filling for the Enchiladas.

Step #20 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with some cooking spary, then spoon in enough of the green sauce to cover the bottom of the dish.

Step #21 - Place all the flour tortilla on a plate.

Step #22 - Spoon some of the filling on top of one of the flour tortillas

Step #23 - Cover with shredded cheese.

Step #24 - Roll up and place in baking dish, with tortilla seam facing the bottom of the dish.

Step #25 - Repeat until your baking dish is full or you run out of filling.

Step #26 - Cover with remaining green sauce. Using a spatula to spread out into an even layer, working sauce down into groves.

Step #27 - Cover with shredded Colby Jack Cheese.

Step #28 - Place in the oven to bake for 10 minutes

Step #29 - After the cheese has melted, set broiler to HI and brown the top of the cheese. Watch carefully.

Step #30 - Remove from oven when cheese starts to brown.

Step #31 - Sprinkle with fresh chopped Cilantro.

Step #32 - Allow to cool, then serve.

About the Author

Jeff Davis

You may think cooking and recipes don’t have much to do with a website dedicated to hunting dogs ... but really, why do we hunt? Sure, we enjoy watching our dogs work in the field and being outdoors, but ultimately, hunting is about survival and feeding our families. We might as well try to do it well. I'm not a chef and definitely no food authority ... but I do like to eat and enjoy cooking. After searching for people willing to share their recipes on Gundog Central, without much success, I decided to try to do a few on my own, with my wife Tami's help. The recipes I share here are things I like to eat and have made here at home. I've tried to include step-by-step instructions with each meal describing exactly how I did it, but my method may not be best, if you decide to try a recipe posted here, please use whatever technique you think works best, I'm simply sharing how I did it. You'll see a lot of recipes where I've tried to make things from starch, when I could have just used store bought ingredients, simply because I wanted to learn how something was done. My goal is to continually update these recipes as I learn new things and techniques. These are my attempts at creating good, home cooked food, that I would like to eat! If I'm sharing it here, my family and I enjoyed it and I believe you will too.