These Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are my answer to an easy weeknight dinner that is super comforting but also crazy delicious.
Flour tortillas are filled with a flavorful mixture of shredded chicken, my favorite taco spice blend, diced green chiles, cheese, and creamy sour cream. Topped with a layer of spicy salsa verde and even more cheese, these chicken enchiladas are bubbling with flavor and spice. A true family favorite!
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How to make Green Chile chicken enchiladas:
- 1 ½ cups of prepared salsa verde
- 2 cups (10 oz) of cooked, shredded chicken
- 3 cups (10 oz) of your favorite shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
- 3 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning or 1 packet (1 oz) of prepared taco seasoning
- 1 can (7oz) of chopped green chiles, drained
- ½ cup of sour cream
- 8-9 (6") flour or corn tortillas
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400° and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
Pour ½ cup of salsa verde on the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Swirl the pan around or use a spoon to lightly coat the bottom of the pan with the salsa. Set aside
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese, taco seasoning, green chiles, and sour cream. Mix until everything is evenly blended.
Fill each tortilla with 3 tablespoons of the shredded chile chicken mixture. Roll the filled tortillas into tubes and place them seam side down into the prepared baking dish. Continue filling and rolling the tortillas and place them all seam side down in the baking dish.
Pour 1 cup of the salsa verde over the top of the tortillas. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Place the baking dish into a 400° oven and bake for 25-35 minutes until the cheese is browned and the sauce is bubbly.
Remove the enchiladas from the oven and let them sit 5-10 minutes to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
How to serve your enchiladas
I love plating up two enchiladas per person and topping them with sour cream, diced avocado, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
Serve these enchiladas alongside some seasoned rice, a scoop of refried beans, and refreshing pico de gallo.
Storing leftovers
Allow your enchiladas to cool completely before transferring leftovers to an airtight container. Once transferred, store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, you can microwave your enchiladas or re-bake in the oven at 350° until warmed through.
Freezing
Chicken enchiladas make a fantastic freezer meal! To do this, prepare a 13x9 foil or freezer safe baking dish by pouring ½ cup of salsa verde on the bottom. Prepare the chicken and green chile filling as stated in the recipe and fill and roll the tortillas. Place the rolled tortillas in the baking dish and top with 1 cup of salsa verde. Do not top with cheese at this point.
Wrap the pan in plastic twice and then with a layer of aluminum foil. This will prevent freezer burn. Pop the enchiladas into the freezer, and freeze for up to a month.
When you're ready to bake, remove the frozen enchiladas from the freezer and set them on the counter while you preheat the oven to 350°. They won't need to be thawed.
Remove any plastic wrap and top the baking dish with a fresh sheet of foil.
Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes.
Remove the enchiladas from the oven and remove the foil. Turn the oven temperature up to 400°.
Top the enchiladas with 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese and finish baking the enchiladas at 400° for 25-30 minutes until the cheese has browned and the sauce is bubbling.
Serve and enjoy!
Can I use flour tortillas instead of corn for enchiladas?
Yes! I actually prefer using flour tortillas over corn tortillas for these enchiladas.
Flour tortillas crisp up around the edges beautifully and they don't crack as easily as corn tortillas do--so your filling stays perfectly in place!
The flour tortillas will hold up just as well as corn tortillas in the freezer too if you plan on making a freezer meal out of these enchiladas.
Sometimes flour tortillas can bake up a little mushy on the bottom, so to prevent this from happening, refrain from putting too much salsa verde or enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Also, draining the green chiles will help keep the filling from becoming too wet.
If you want a super saucy batch of enchiladas, switch to corn tortillas or just serve extra sauce on the side.
Is green enchilada sauce the same as salsa verde?
These are two different recipes, but the ingredients are very similar. Based on my research, salsa verde is typically roasted veggies--like tomatillos, chiles, and jalapenos--and blended. It's fresher than enchilada sauce and tends to have a bit more texture.
Enchilada sauce can have the same ingredients as salsa verde, but in some recipes, it is simmered to reduce the liquid and thicken the sauce. Often, a form of dairy or cornstarch is added for thickening and to make the sauce more creamy. Enchilada sauce also tends to be pureed a lot smoother than a salsa verde.
Either a salsa verde or enchilada sauce will work for this recipe, so if you have a favorite brand or recipe, feel free to use that!
Traditional salsa makes a great substitute for enchilada sauce and salsa verde as well. So if you don't have a jar of the green stuff on hand, crack open some of your favorite tomato salsa and use that instead!
Tips for making the best enchiladas:
- Make sure to spray the bottom of your baking dish or spoon a little green sauce on the bottom to prevent sticking
- Try not to overfill the tortillas. This way all the filling will stay in place!
- If you're using a rotisserie chicken or pre-shredded chicken, choose a low sodium taco seasoning. This will prevent the filling from becoming too salty.
- Drain the green chiles so that the filling won't be too runny.
- Allow the enchiladas to sit a few minutes before serving. This will allow the cheesy chile chicken filling to set slightly, making it easier to serve up.
Other Recipes You Might Like:
All Purpose Mexican Spice Blend
Chili Cheese Tater Tot Nachos (Totchos)
📖 Recipe
Simple Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Simple and delicious Chicken Enchiladas made with Green Chiles. These are cheesy, spicy, and ultra comforting!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups of prepared salsa verde
- 2 cups (10 oz) of cooked, shredded chicken
- 3 cups (10 oz) of your favorite shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
- ¼ c of homemade taco seasoning or 1 packet (1 oz) of prepared taco seasoning
- 1 can (7oz) of chopped green chiles, drained
- ½ cup of sour cream
- 8-9 (6") flour or corn tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
- Pour ½ cup of salsa verde on the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Swirl the pan around or use a spoon to lightly coat the bottom of the pan with the salsa. Set aside
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese, taco seasoning, green chiles, and sour cream. Mix until everything is evenly blended.
- Fill each tortilla with 3 tablespoons of the shredded chicken mixture. Roll the filled tortillas into tubes and place them seam side down into the prepared baking dish. Continue filling and rolling the tortillas and place them all seam side down in the baking dish.
- Pour 1 cup of the salsa verde over the top of the tortillas. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Place the baking dish into a 400° oven and bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes until the cheese is browned and the sauce is bubbly.
- Remove the enchiladas from the oven and let them sit 5-10 minutes to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 370Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 1364mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 6gSugar: 6gProtein: 24g
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