Green Chicken Enchiladas, or Enchiladas Verdes, are simply irresistible. Tender chicken filling is wrapped in soft tortillas and smothered in a tangy homemade tomatillo sauce and creamy melted cheese. It’s a restaurant-worthy dish from scratch – or use shortcuts for ease!
With the wild swings of weather, the family the creamy, savory, and comforting recipes are what the family wants right now. These Green Chicken Enchiladas are filling, flavorful, and fun. Load them up with toppings like Avocado Crema and Poblano Cream Sauce. Pair with your favorite Taco-Tuesday-inspired side dishes for a full-on fiesta style feast.
What are green enchiladas? Enchiladas are traditionally made with a red chilis sauce (Enchiladas Rojas), while Enchiladas Verdes is sauced with tomatillos and green chilies. This gives them a brighter, almost citrusy flavor compared to the deeper, earthier taste of Red Enchiladas.
Ingredients and Notes
Tortillas, chicken, lots of veggies… and more! Let's talk ingredients and ways to make it more, or less, spicy. I’ve included a recipe for my delicious homemade green enchilada sauce, but storebought is ok too!
The Enchilada Filling:
- Cooked Chicken. Grill chicken breasts or use a rotisserie chicken and shred with a stand mixer or by hand with two forks.
- Melting Cheese. This can be Chihuahua (my favorite), Oaxaca, Mozzarella, or Monterey Jack and Cheddar.
- Sour Cream. Regular or Light.
- Canned Green Chiles. Choose Hot or Mild. I use mild and adjust the heat according to how many jalapenos I use.
- Cilantro. Skip if you aren’t a fan of cilantro.
- 8-inch size tortillas. Choose corn or flour to your preference. Corn tortillas pair nicely with the flavors of the tomatillo sauce; the 8-inch size is optimal for a 9×13 deep dish pan.
- Green Sauce. See recipe below for an easy homemade version. Substitute with store-bought to save time.
Homemade Tomatillo Sauce (aka Green Enchilada Sauce):
- Tomatillos. These should be easy to find in the fresh vegetable section.
- Garlic Cloves. You’ll need whole garlic cloves with the paper peel.
- Peppers. Use a mix of poblanos for mild and jalapenos to add some heat. Substitute serrano or green habanero peppers to really kick up the heat.
- Cilantro. Fresh chopped or paste is fine here.
- Chicken Broth. I prefer low sodium but traditional is fine.
- Lime Juice.
How to Make Green Enchilada Sauce
This is one of my favorite ways to use peppers from our garden. Mix any green pepper variety of choice including Poblanos, Cubanelle, Anaheim, Jalapenos, or Serrano peppers. My personal preference is 3 poblanos and 2 jalapenos for a mild sauce.
Generally, I prefer to roast peppers whole over a gas flame. They are easier to peel and faster that way. However, for less work overall, roast peppers in the oven so everything gets done at the same time.
Below is not the full recipe instructions but this visual guide shows how the sauce should look:
- Slice peppers in half lengthwise and deseed. Slice tomatillos in half and place everything cut side down on a sheet pan, along with whole garlic cloves (peel on). Roast at 450 °F for 20-30 minutes. The photo shows the peppers and tomatillos when they’re ready to come out of the oven.
- After the peppers come out of the oven, put them in either a bowl with plastic wrap cover or a large ziplock bag to steam.
- When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel the skins. The skins should easily slip off.
- After the peppers are steamed and prepared, toss everything into a food processor or blender and pulse. The sauce should be smooth yet slightly pulpy in texture and pourable.
Assembling the tortillas is a breeze. Use about ⅔-3/4 cup filling per tortilla. Pour the green sauce over the assembled enchiladas once they’ve cooked a bit.
Recipe Shortcuts
Use these recipe shortcuts to save time without sacrificing anything.
- Use rotisserie chicken. Skip cooking the chicken and shred a whole chicken.
- Use store bought Enchilada Sauce.
- Prep the veggies for toppings and filling at the same time.
- Make the filling and sauce the day before. I’ve made the sauce and filling ahead.
- Fill the enchiladas early. I haven’t personally done it, but it’s also perfectly fine to assemble enchiladas in the pan and store them covered in the fridge the day before. The edges may dry out if you don’t cover them. Give about 10 minutes extra baking before adding the sauce since they are colder.
- Shred cooked chicken in a stand mixer. This method works best when the chicken is warm or hot. Start the paddle mixer on slow and work up the speed to break up bits. Note that some bits may fling out so clear your workspace.
What goes with Enchiladas?
These Enchiladas Verdes pack a flavorful punch and are quite filling. I typically serve them with a side of Mexican rice. If you’d like to get a bit more creative, here are some other delicious pairing ideas:
- Chips & Queso
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Mexican Rice (Arroz Mexicano)
- Riced Cauliflower – add a dash of paprika and squeeze of lime
- Corn & Black Bean Salad over a bed of lettuce
- BBQ Ranch Salad
- Corn salad
- Elotes (Mexican Corn on the Cob)
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette
- Roasted Broccoli, Cauliflower, or Asparagus
Frequently Asked Questions
Corn tortillas pair wonderfully with the flavor of the enchiladas and are my personal preference. My family prefers the texture of the more neutral flour tortillas. Either way, you can’t really go wrong.
No. The biggest difference between the two is that Salsa Verde is made from raw ingredients, while enchilada sauce is usually roasted and includes the addition of broth for a pourable version that coats enchiladas.
Sour cream and Salsa Verde are favorites. Green toppings like Avocado Crema, cilantro, guacamole, green onion, and jalapenos fit the bill. Anything contrasting such as diced tomatoes or purple onions looks appetizing. Add hot sauce to the table too!
Oven (Best for Maintaining Texture)
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover enchiladas in an oven safe dish with foil to prevent drying out. Reheat for 20-25 minutes (or until heated through). If refrigerated, check after 15 minutes; if frozen, it may take 30-40 minutes.
Microwave (Fastest Method, Best for Individual Portions)
Place a single serving on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a damp paper towel to retain moisture. Microwave on medium power in 30-second intervals, checking until fully heated (about 1.5-3 minutes total).
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Chicken Enchiladas Verde
Ingredients
Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce (Optional- can substitute with store bought)
- 1 lb Tomatillos
- 3 Poblano Peppers Anaheim is the closest substitute
- 2-4 Jalapeno Peppers Sub green habanero, serrano, or green chiles for more spice
- 4 cloves Garlic Whole, unpeeled
- 2 tablespoon Chopped Cilantro
- 2 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Lime or 2 Tablespoons lime juice
Enchiladas
- Butter or Oil Spray for greasing the casserole dish
- 3 cups Shredded chicken Cooked – rotisserie, grilled, or sauteed
- 4 cups Chihuahua Cheese Divided *substitute Oaxaca, Mozzarella, or Monterey Jack and Cheddar if you prefer
- ½ cup Sour cream for inside the enchiladas
- 2 4 oz cans Green chiles Drained
- ¼ cup Fresh chopped cilantro Optional- skip if you aren't a fan of cilantro
- 8 Flour or Corn tortillas 8-inch size
Topping Options
- Salsa Verde, Sour Cream, Green Onions, Chopped Cilantro, Avocado, Jalapenos, Red Onions, Diced Tomatoes
Instructions
Homemade Green Sauce (optional)
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Cut 1 lb Tomatillos, 3 Poblano Peppers, and 2-4 Jalapeno Peppers in half lengthwise and deseed peppers. On a baking sheet, arrange the tomatillos and peppers cut side down along with 4 cloves Garlic, unpeeled. Roast for 20-30 minutes, or until the tomatillos are soft and the peppers have blackened slightly, and the skin looks loose and blistered.
- While the peppers are roasting, get out a large mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a lid. Right when the peppers come out of the oven, pop them into the bowl and cover for at least 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
- Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, peel the skin from the peppers and add to a food processor or blender. To the same blender, add the tomatillos, peel and add the garlic (you may just have to squish it out of the skin), 2 tablespoon Chopped Cilantro, 2 teaspoon Cumin, 1 tablespoon Chili Powder, 2 cups Chicken Broth, and juice 1 Lime. Blend until smooth yet slightly pulpy.
Assembling Enchiladas
- Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13×9 inch pan with Butter or Oil Spray.
- Make the Filling. Stir together shredded 3 cups Shredded chicken, 1.5 cups Chihuahua Cheese,½ cup Sour cream, 2-4 oz cans Green chiles, and ¼ cup Fresh chopped cilantro.
- Assemble tortillas. Spoon about ¾ cup filling evenly down the center of 8 Flour or Corn tortillas. Bring up one side of the tortilla and fold over the filling. Continue rolling up the tortilla.
Baking and Toppings
- Arrange, seam side down, in a baking dish. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the edges of the tortillas start to brown. Pour the enchilada sauce over top and add the remaining cheese. Bake another 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is hot.
- Spoon salsa verde over hot enchiladas and scatter with desired toppings or serve them on the side.
Recipe Notes
- OVEN: Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- MICROWAVE: You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave by transferring to a microwave safe plate and cooking for 90 seconds. Continue to microwave at 30 second intervals until heated through.
Rachel says
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