Green Chicken Enchiladas filled with chicken and cheese get topped with salsa verde for a perfect blend of Mexican flavor in every bite!
Why We Love Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
- Green chicken enchiladas are one of my favorite comfort foods. I grew up eating them and I make them all the time for my family. They’re super easy to prepare and you can even freeze one pan for another night.
- Since this recipe makes such a big batch, these green chili chicken enchiladas make a great meal prep option for the week too. Just portion the extra enchiladas into your food storage boxes and chill in the fridge for later.
- I love to kick up the spice and flavor by adding some of my favorite green hot sauce (Los Calientes Verde) or hot diced green chiles. You can even make one pan spicy and one pan mild so the whole family gets to eat the enchiladas they like.
What Are Green Enchiladas Made Of?
CHICKEN: You’ll need 3 cups of cooked chicken for these enchiladas. You can pre-bake or boil 2 large chicken breasts (direction below) or grab a rotisserie chicken from the store. Take the meat off the bones, discard the skin, and shred the meat. Super easy.
PANTRY ITEMS: Grab some olive oil, dried oregano, ground cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, canned diced green chiles (mild or hot), corn tortillas, and a jar of your favorite salsa verde.
PRODUCE: You need a yellow onion and some garlic for the filling. For the topping, grab a bunch of cilantro and an avocado or two. If cilantro isn’t your thing, you can totally skip it.
DAIRY: We’re using sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, and queso quesadilla (AKA chihuahua cheese) in the filling and topping. If you can’t find queso quesadilla in the international cheese section of your store, you can use a Mexican cheese blend instead.
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9×13 baking dishes with nonstick cooking spray and set them aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute them for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat.
STEP 2 Add the spices, chicken, 1 1/2 cups of sour cream, 1 1/2 cups Monetery Jack, and 1 cup of queso quesadilla to the skillet and stir to combine. Add 2 heaping tablespoons of the chicken filling down the center of a corn tortilla, roll it up, and place it in the prepared pan. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas and filling.
STEP 3 Top the enchiladas evenly with the salsa verde, spreading it all over the top. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the salsa. Bake for 20 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the cheese if melted.
STEP 4 Remove the baking dishes from the oven. Plate the enchiladas and top them with sour cream, chopped cilantro, and avocado slices before serving warm.
Tips & Tricks
- For 3 cups of shredded chicken, use 2 large breasts seasoned with salt and pepper. Bake the chicken at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, or boil the breasts in 4 cups of chicken broth/water for 10 minutes and then let them rest for 10 minutes.
- This recipe makes enough enchiladas for two baking dishes (about 8 per pan). If preferred, you can overfill the tortillas (making fewer enchiladas) and fit them into one dish.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze the second dish of assembled enchiladas by covering it tightly in plastic wrap and popping it into the freezer. Thaw the dish on the counter for 20 minutes (or overnight in the fridge) and then bake as directed. You may need to add 5+ minutes more cooking time until they’re heated through.
Green Chicken Enchilada Recipe FAQ
Are enchiladas better with corn or flour tortillas?
Traditionally enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. That being said you can use flour tortillas if you prefer. Corn tortillas have a distinct flavor that helps make the enchilada experience.
I think beef and pork enchiladas should definitely use corn tortillas, and flour works well with chicken and shrimp enchiladas.
Is green enchilada sauce the same as salsa verde?
Sort of. Green enchilada sauce is the cooked version of salsa verde. While the base might be the same, simmering the sauce and bringing out other layers of flavor really changes things.
You can make green enchilada sauce from scratch or grab a can of Las Palmas at the store. It’s the best. You can swap in green enchilada sauce for salsa verde and vice versa in most enchilada recipes.
Are green enchiladas better than red?
This really comes down to personal preference. I like red sauce better with beef enchiladas and green sauce better with chicken. But red sauce is the default when referring to enchiladas without talking about sauce color.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Huevos Rancheros
- Queso Blanco Chicken Nachos
- Seasoned Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- One-Pan Beef Burrito Skillet
- Crock Pot Queso Chicken
- Creamy Baked Chicken Flautas
- Baked Beef Taquitos
Green Chicken Enchiladas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 3 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 8 ounces canned diced green chiles
- 2 cups sour cream divided
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded, divided
- 2 cups queso quesadilla or Mexican cheese blend shredded, divided
- 16 corn tortillas
- 24 ounces salsa verde
- 1 bunch cilantro stems removed and roughly chopped
- 1 large avocado pitted and sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch x 13-inch baking dishes with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. (see note)
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, chicken, and green chiles to the skillet. Stir together and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of sour cream, 1 1/2 cups of Monterey Jack cheese, and 1 cup of queso quesadilla.
- Heat the tortillas for 30 seconds in the microwave. (This helps make them more pliable.) Add 2 heaping tablespoons of the chicken filling down the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and plan it into the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Pour the salsa verde evenly over the enchiladas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the salsa.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven. Plate the enchiladas and top with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado before serving warm.
Notes
- For 3 cups of shredded chicken, use 2 large breasts seasoned with salt and pepper. Bake the chicken at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, or boil the breasts in 4 cups of chicken broth/water for 10 minutes and then let them rest for 10 minutes. You can also use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, just don’t add the skin.
- This recipe makes enough enchiladas for two baking dishes (about 8 per pan). If preferred, you can overfill the tortillas (making fewer enchiladas) and fit them into one dish.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.Â
- Freeze one pan for later by wrapping plastic wrap tightly over the baking dish and freezing for up to 2 months. To cook, thaw for 20 minutes on the counter (or overnight in the fridge) and bake as directed, adding up to another 5 minutes of cooking time as needed.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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