These green enchiladas make smart use of a few store-bought shortcuts

When I feel an urgent need for calm, nourishment and steady ground beneath my feet, I find myself turning to recipes I know I can rely on. Often, those recipes include quite a bit of melty cheese.

Today, let’s serve up a cheesy, saucy standby that includes a couple of store-bought shortcuts. This recipe, for Enchiladas Suizas (Creamy Enchiladas Verdes), comes from Eat Voraciously newsletter author Daniela Galarza, who was eager to find a way to make “Swiss-style” enchiladas a weeknight production.

The star of this enchilada variation is the creamy green sauce made from bright salsa verde and Mexican crema. For the first shortcut, we’re using store-bought tomatillo-based salsa, rather than making our own. Choose a brand with minimal ingredients beyond the building blocks of tomatillos, onion, garlic and chiles.

The salsa goes into the blender with the crema, cilantro, garlic, and, if you’re craving a bit more heat, half a jalapeño or serrano pepper. A few pulses, and you’ve got enchilada sauce.

Store-bought shortcut No. 2 is a rotisserie chicken. (Cooked beans or roasted vegetables would also make a fine vegetarian swap.) The cooked chicken is shredded, tucked into warmed tortillas, rolled tightly (in a bowl of the sauce for extra flavor), then arranged in a baking dish before the rest of the sauce is poured over the whole lot.

I enjoy the process of warming, dunking, filling and rolling the tortillas, like a one-person assembly line.

Next comes the all-important shower of shredded cheese, which will bubble and brown in the oven. It’s an inviting family-style presentation, and reason enough to gather around the table, dig in and appreciate a brief reprieve from the noise.

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Enchiladas Suizas (Creamy Enchiladas Verdes)

2 cups (16 ounces) prepared tomatillo-based, Mexican-style salsa verde

2/3 cup Mexican crema

12 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves and stems (1/2 ounce), chopped, plus more for serving

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1/2 fresh jalapeño or serrano pepper (optional)

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

2 cups (8 ounces) cooked and shredded chicken

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Oaxaca cheese or part-skim mozzarella

Thin slices of white or yellow onion, for serving (optional)

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Have ready a 9-inch square baking dish.

In a blender, combine the salsa verde, crema, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeño or serrano, if using. Blend until combined but not perfectly smooth, about 10 seconds. This is your enchilada sauce. Pour about half of the mixture (about 1 1/3 cups) into a wide bowl; reserve the rest.

Heat a 10- to 12-inch well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. To check whether the skillet is hot enough, sprinkle a drop of water in the center. If it sizzles immediately, it’s ready. Place two or three tortillas — however many will fit — in the skillet, and cook until softened on the bottom, 15 to 30 seconds. Flip and cook until softened on the other side, 15 to 30 seconds more. The tortillas may puff and turn slightly golden, but they should not brown or blacken. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Dip one softened tortilla in the enchilada sauce in the wide bowl until lightly coated all over. Arrange approximately 1/4 cup of the chicken in a line down the center of the tortilla, roll it into a cigar-like shape, and transfer to the prepared dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and chicken, lining the enchiladas in a tight row.

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce into the dish, spreading it so it coats each enchilada evenly. (If there is any remaining sauce in the wide bowl, add it to the dish as well.) Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbling and the cheese starts to brown. Garnish with cilantro and onion slices, if desired, and serve hot, family-style.

Serves four (makes 8 enchiladas).

*Where to buy: Mexican crema can be found at well-stocked supermarkets or Hispanic markets. For the best results, look for a salsa brand that contains little more than tomatillos, onions, garlic and green chiles, such as Herdez, Sabor Mexicano, Cholula or La Costeña.

Substitutions: For Mexican crema, use sour cream, half-and-half or plain yogurt. For cilantro, use scallions. For chicken, use pulled pork, 1 1/2 cups cooked beans (canned or home-cooked), or a combination of your choice of proteins.

Variations: For enchiladas verdes, skip the crema.

Nutrition per serving (2 enchiladas): 525 calories, 40g carbohydrates, 146mg cholesterol, 29g fat, 5g fiber, 27g protein, 16g saturated fat, 935mg sodium, 11g sugar

— From G. Daniela Galarza.