Green Chile Enchiladas with Chicken

These Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are easy to make, satisfyingly rich, cheesy, creamy and saucy – no dry chicken enchiladas here! – with flavor exploding homemade green chile sour cream sauce (no cream soup)!

These Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas come together in a snap with the use of juicy rotisserie chicken, store bought green chiles and salsa verde sauce. They can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for an easy make-ahead dinner!   If you have never had White Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas before, stop the insanity now!  

 

The BEST Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

These Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are a crazy delicious cross between your favorite Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas AKA White Chicken Enchiladas and Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas.

I  honestly didn’t know what to call them because no name seemed to do them justice.  In the end, I called them Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas.   But you can just call them the best chicken enchiladas of. your. life.  

They are so good in fact, I took these photos in less than 10 minutes because Patrick was by my side, chomping at the bit ready to dig into this cheesy goodness.

I am a huge chicken enchilada lover.  From my crazy popular Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas which are sweet and tangy to my Jalapeno Chicken Enchiladas which are cheesy and spicy, to my Barbacoa Beef Enchiladas which are tangy, cheesy and spicy to my Breakfast Ham and Cheese Enchiladas with are saucy and cheesy,  to these Creamy Green Chile  Chicken Enchiladas!

It is super hard to pick a favorite, but you guys, these might just be them.  I am obsessed.  I could eat half the pan by myself.  I have absolutely no self control when it comes to their creamy flavor exploding goodness.

These “White” Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are inspired by a favorite chicken enchilada casserole my mom used to make growing up.  It was a base of cream of chicken soup mixed with milk, sour cream and green chiles.  I’ve kept the creaminess of the original with a perfected homemade cheesy, creamy white sauce infused with green chiles and salsa verde that takes them over the top.

Many Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Recipes or White Chicken Enchilada recipes rely on one can of green chiles for the flavor but I found that when I combined the homemade white sauce with both green chiles AND salsa verde, we achieve a flavorful tang that cuts through the creaminess with tons of flavor AKA pure Mexican comfort food at its most obsessive worthy.

Green Enchilada Recipe ingredients

• Tortillas: Use your family’s favorite! Corn tortillas boast a robust, slightly charred, sweet corn flavor that beautifully compliment the sauce. If you use neutral flour tortillas, I suggest toasting in a skillet or over an open glass flame to prevent them from becoming soggy.
• Chicken breasts: Use rotisserie chicken or my homemade shredded chicken is super easy!
• Cheese: Use Monterrey Jack cheese for its creamy, buttery richness.
• Salsa verde: This can be found in jars next to the other salsas at your grocery store (I use Herdez brand). Make sure you use MILD salsa verde so there is wiggle room with the spice level.
• Canned mild diced green chilies: These are found in small cans and add a bright, vibrant tanginess to cut through the creaminess. Again, use MILD chopped green chiles for flavor and not heat.
• Aromatics: Onion and garlic form the base of the sauce. You substitute with powders in a bind.
• Flour: This is cooked with butter to create a roux which thickens the sauce and helps make it creamy!
• Sour Cream: This adds gorgeous silkiness and body to the sauce that can’t be beat. You may also substitute with plain Greek yogurt.
• Chicken broth: Use low sodium chicken broth to allow room for chicken bouillon.
• Chicken bouillon: This is like salt with FLAVOR! Use bouillon powder, bouillon cubes or better than bouillon. Add it to the soup without dissolving in liquid first.
• Seasonings: Ground cumin, salt and pepper are all you need! ground cumin, chicken bouillon

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas Variations

• add white beans
• add spinach or other veggies such as corn or zucchini
• use less sauce if you don’t like them as saucy
• use more or less cheese – and when I say “more or less,” I, of course, mean more
• go crazy and use Pepper Jack cheese (you might want to omit the cayenne pepper in this case)
• use flour or corn tortillas
• substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream – this is totally personal preference.  I prefer sour cream but if you love Greek yogurt, it is a good healthier alternative.  It is a 1:1 substitute.
• add as little or as much cayenne pepper to taste.  I find the ½ teaspoon listed has a mild kick but not overly spicy and should be the right heat for most people unless you are super sensitive to heat.
• Add hot sauce to your cooked enchiladas if you like them spicier.  I love this after-cooking addition because everyone can customize the heat of their own chicken enchiladas
• Top with all or some of your favs such as cilantro, jalapenos, avocados, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, avocado crema, pico de gallo, black olives

How to make Green Enchiladas

I’ve tried to make these White Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas as simple as possible with both my methods and ingredients so they come together super quickly.

1. Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce: We start by melting butter in olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan then sauteing our onions for 3 minutes.  If you are feeling lazy, like I often am, then you can substitute the onion with 1 teaspoon onion powder.  Just add it with the rest of the spices.

2. Next, sprinkle in some flour and garlic and cook for 2 minutes (it will be thick) to get rid of the raw flour smell.  Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in chicken broth, followed by salsa verde, green chiles, chicken bouillon, ground cumin, salt and cayenne pepper.   I find the ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper has a mild kick but not overly spicy.  If you aren’t sure how much you want to add, then simply add a little, stir, taste and add more if desired.  You can always add some hot sauce to your enchiladas after they are cooked.

3. Bring your sauce to a boil then reduce to a simmer until thickened.  Stir in your luscious sour cream and watch the sauce change from green to creamy white before your eyes.

4.  Filling:  This is the easiest part!  I use our Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce as both the enveloping sauce and to creamify the filling so we don’t have any double work or ingredients.  Simply add 1 cup of your Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce to your chicken along with 2 cups cheese, and mix together.  I also like adding the cheese directly to the filling so we don’t have the extra step of layering each individual tortilla – and to be honest, getting the cheese evenly divided kind of stresses me out – anyone else?

5. Assemble and Bake: Spread approximately ½ cup Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce on the bottom of a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish (layer will be very thin). Add the enchilada filling to the center of each tortilla (approx. ½ cup), roll them up tightly and line them in the dish.

6. Top enchiladas evenly with remaining Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce followed by remaining cheese and bake for 30 minutes to golden bubbly deliciousness!

How to make shredded chicken for this Green Enchilada Recipe

If you’re not using a rotisserie chicken, it is easy to make your own shredded chicken!

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add 1 pound chicken breasts pounded thin (2-3 breasts) and cook 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown on one side.
3. Flip chicken and add 1 ½ cups chicken broth. Cover and reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, then flip chicken over and continue to cook 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked though and tender enough to shred.  You may need to add more chicken broth if it is already absorbed when you flip your chicken over.
4. Remove chicken from skillet and let rest 5 minutes before shredding (or dicing if preferred).

How to serve Green Chicken Enchiladas

The White Chicken Enchiladas are the star of the night, but here are some ideas for an encore supporting cast:

• Cilantro lime rice
• Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice
• Restaurant Homemade Salsa
• A simple Green Salad
• Corn Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
• Roasted Broccoli
• Grilled Corn on the Cob with Chipotle Lime Butter
• Southwest Salad with Creamy Avocado Salsa Dressing
• Perfect Fruit Salad with Honey Citrus Dressing
• Pina Colada Fruit Salad

Green Chicken Enchilada Recipe tips

• Take care to buy the canned MILD chopped green chiles.  I have mistakenly bought the hot green chilies before and they are HOT! Mild green chiles on the other hand are tangy but not spicy.
• Take care to purchase MILD salsa verde unless you know you are a spicy fanatic.  I like to purchase the mild salsa verde because then you can customize the heat with the addition of cayenne pepper to taste.  It is easy to add heat but it is hard to take it away when it comes pre-packaged!
• To make these White Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas come together in a snap, use rotisserie chicken.  If don’t have time or don’t want to, then it is easy to make your own shredded chicken –  I’ve included instructions below this section.
• You can use flour or corn tortillas, but I find corn tortillas fall apart more easily.  To prevent this, you can flash fry and dip in some salsa verde post (you can see exactly how to do this in my Enchiladas Verdes recipe).    Alternatively, you can make an Enchilada Casserole by layering the creamy chicken mixture with cut up corn tortillas, this way you don’t have to worry about them falling apart.

How to store Green Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas should be covered tightly in plastic wrap or foil or stored in airtight container in the refrigerator.  When stored correctly,  enchiladas are good for about 5 days. Of course, always use your best judgment and if anything smells off, then toss them.

Green Chile Enchiladas make ahead Instructions

You can make these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas ahead of time for an easy dinner!  Simply prepare enchiladas according to directions, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

You take them straight from the refrigerator to the oven and increase the baking time by approximately 10 minutes or until they are hot and bubbly and completely heated through.

How to reheat Green Chile Enchiladas

We are usually just reheating a serving of the enchiladas and not the entire pan, so we typically reheat them in the microwave.  If you are using the oven, then cover the pan with foil and reheat at 250 degrees F until heated through.

How to freeze this Green Chicken Enchilada Recipe

While some enchilada recipes freeze well, I do not recommend freezing these Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas if you are picky about texture. The tortillas soften further and the texture of the sauce changes due to the dairy.  If you aren’t too picky though, then go for it!

Now sit back and enjoy your new favorite Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas!

If you love these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, then you will love my Salsa Verde Chicken, Smothered Baked Chicken Burritos, Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken, Skillet Chicken Fajitas, and Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls!

Looking for more Mexican recipes?

• Smothered Baked Chicken Burritos 
• Cheesy Taco Pasta
• One Skillet Mexican Chicken and Rice
• 30 Minute Cheesy Taco Soup
• Skillet Chicken Fajitas
• Chili Lime Chicken Tacos
• Best  Beef, Bean and Cheese Burritos

WANT TO TRY THIS GREEN CHILE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS RECIPE?

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Tools Used in This Recipe

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Casserole Dish 9×13 inches

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Non Stick Frying Pan 10 in.

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Silicone Spatula Set

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Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set

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Cheese Grater

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Garlic Press

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Green Enchilada Recipe

These Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are easy to make, satisfyingly rich, cheesy, creamy and saucy – no dry chicken enchiladas here! – with flavor exploding homemade green chile sour cream white sauce (no cream soup)! These Chicken Enchiladas come together in a snap with the use of juicy rotisserie chicken, store bought green chiles and salsa verde sauce. They can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for an easy make-ahead dinner. 

Servings: 6 servings

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

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Ingredients

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

• 4 cups shredded or chopped chicken*
• 3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese divided
• 8-10 medium flour tortillas or 10-12 quality corn tortillas like La Tortilla Factory

Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion may sub 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup homemade salsa verde (or storebought – I like mild Herdez)
• 1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies not drained
• 1 tsp EACH ground cumin, chicken bouillon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup sour cream

Garnishes (Optional)

• sour cream
• Tomatoes
• Avocados
• cilantro
• chips
• freshly squeezed lime
• hot sauce

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• If using corn tortillas: (This flash frying is optional but recommended, see Notes for microwave option). Add enough canola or vegetable oil to a cast iron/medium skillet so it covers the bottom and heat over medium-high heat. Working with one tortilla at a time, add tortilla and lightly fry for about 10 seconds on each side, just until soft with a few bubbles but not brown or crisp. Line finished tortillas on a paper towel lined plate, with paper towels in between each row. Repeat with 12-14 tortillas.
• Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce: Melt butter in olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onion and sauté 3 minutes. Sprinkle in flour and garlic and cook for 2 minutes (it will be thick). Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in chicken broth, followed by salsa verde, green chilies, chicken bouillon and spices. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and stir sour cream.
• Filling: Add chicken to a large bowl. Stir in 1 cup Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce and 2 cups cheese.
• Assemble: Spread ½ cup Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce on the bottom of a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish (layer will be very thin). Add the enchilada filling to the center of each tortilla (approx. ½ cup), roll them up tightly and line them in the dish seam side down. Top enchiladas evenly with remaining Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce followed by remaining cheese.
• Bake: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is completely melted and center is hot. Broil until cheese is golden (optional). Top or serve with desired garnishes.

Notes

HOW TO MICROWAVE TORTILLAS 

Flash frying the corn tortillas gives them texture, prevents them from tearing and enhances the flavor. You can microwave the tortillas instead but it’s not as foolproof. To microwave corn tortillas, work in 2 batches. Place 6 tortillas on a microwave safe plate, cover with a moist paper towel and microwave 40 to 60 seconds so they are warm and pliable. Fill and roll tortillas while they’re still warm then repeat with remaining tortillas.

*You can make your enchiladas as saucy or less saucy as you like – simply use more or less of the Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce. **If you’re not using a rotisserie chicken, it is easy to make your own shredded chicken!

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add 1 pound chicken breasts pounded thin (2-3 breasts) and cook 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown on one side. Flip chicken and add 1 ½ cups chicken broth.
3. Cover and reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, then flip chicken over and continue to cook 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked though and tender enough to shred.
4. Remove chicken from skillet and let rest 5 minutes before shredding (or dicing if preferred).

 

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