Easy Green Chicken Enchiladas
These green chicken enchiladas are creamy, cheesy, and packed with flavor! Made with tender chicken and green enchilada sauce, this easy recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners or feeding a crowd. A classic Tex-Mex dish made with tortillas filled with seasoned chicken, then baked in a flavorful green sauce and topped with melted cheese.
While you’re here you should definitely check out these Shrimp Enchiladas and these super popular Beef Birria QuesaTacos with Consome.
Green chile chicken enchiladas are one of the most requested Mexican food dishes in our house. In fact, when we eat out at a Mexican restaurant, I can almost bet that green enchiladas are going to be ordered by someone in the family.
The “green” comes from green chiles or green enchilada sauce, which gives these enchiladas a tangy, slightly smoky flavor that’s different from traditional red enchiladas.
Ingredients for Green Chicken Enchiladas
- Cooked chicken (shredded or chopped): The base of the filling and an easy shortcut when using rotisserie chicken
- Green chiles: Adds that signature flavor and mild heat
- Green enchilada sauce: The key to bold flavor and that classic green enchiladas taste
- Tortillas (flour or corn): Holds everything together and absorbs the sauce while baking
- Shredded cheese: Melts into a gooey, cheesy topping
- Sour cream or cream cheese: Adds richness and creaminess to the filling
- Garlic & seasonings: Enhances the overall flavor
How to make Green Enchiladas
After you cook your chicken, all that’s left is rolling the enchiladas and baking them. It’s that simple!
Boil the chicken with chicken bouillon
Shred the chicken and add green chiles into the mix
Roll the chicken mixture into your tortillas
Pour the green salsa over the top and add shredded cheese
Bake the Chicken Enchiladas
Traditional green chicken enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. You can use corn or flour for this recipe. Once you roll the chicken and cheese into the tortillas, drizzle the salsa verde over the top and add the shredded cheese. Cover and bake them until the tortillas are tender and the cheese is nice and melted.
Pro Tips for Chicken Enchiladas
- Warm tortillas before rolling to prevent cracking
- Add a little sauce to the bottom of the pan to keep them from sticking
- Mix some enchilada sauce into the filling for extra flavor
- Use freshly shredded cheese for better melting
- Let the enchiladas rest for a few minutes before serving
FAQ
Can you freeze green chicken enchiladas?
Yes. Assemble them, wrap tightly, and freeze for later.
What chicken works best for green chicken enchiladas?
Shredded chicken breast or rotisserie chicken works best for ease and flavor.
What’s the difference between green chicken enchiladas and red enchiladas?
Green enchiladas use a green chile or tomatillo-based sauce, while red enchiladas use a chili-based red sauce.
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken breast, cooked and shredded or diced
- 1 tablespoon Chicken bouillon powder
- 1/2 Yellow onion, diced
- 1 4.5 ounce Can Green chiles, mild
- 1 bottle Salsa verde, mild
- 8 ounces Sour cream
- 7 Corn tortillas
- 7 Flour tortillas
- 16 ounces 1 bag Shredded cheese, Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella
- 1 cup Vegetable oil, to fry tortillas, optional
- 1 tablespoon Seasoned salt, or adobo seasoning
- 1/2 tablespoon Ground cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon Chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add the chicken to 2-3 cups water in a pot. Add the chicken bouillon cube and boil for about 20-30 minutes. Remove the chicken and place it in a bowl to cool down.
- Once the chicken is cool to the touch, use hands and/or two forks to shred the chicken as thin as possible. Add all of the remaining seasoning to the chicken and mix it until combined.
- Next add the onion, 1/4 bag of the Monterrey jack cheese, can of green chiles, mix until combined.
- Heat oil in a skillet. Fry corn tortillas for 30 seconds (enough to make them pliable). Remove them from the oil and drain on a paper towel. Heat flour tortillas in the microwave for 320-30 seconds.
- Heat and combine the bottle of mild salsa verde, and sour cream in a small sauce pan until it begins to lightly boil. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread about 1/4 cup of the salsa verde and sour cream mixture into the bottom of the baking dish- just enough to form a thin layer.
- Begin filing and rolling each tortilla with the chicken mixture. Spoon the chicken onto one side of the tortilla, and roll them up as tight as possible.
- Place the enchiladas in the baking dish seam side down. Pour the remaining green chile sauce over the top of the enchiladas.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the enchiladas from the oven, take off the foil and sprinkle with remaining Monterrey jack cheese.
- Turn the oven on to broil, and put the enchiladas back into the oven to melt and brown the cheese (about 3 minutes). WATCH VERY CLOSELY BECAUSE THEY WILL EASILY BURN.
Notes
Equipment
Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make these Green Chicken Enchiladas! I would love to see your creation, and give you a shoutout!
Enchiladas are one of my all time favorite meals and these look amazing!! I love how simple they are to make!
I agree Morgan! They’re simple, delicious, and fun to make with the whole family.
Enchilladas are one of my favorites! And these look simple enough to try! Thanks for the recipe!
Yes! You’re welcome. Let me know if you give it a try!
Yum, I love enchiladas! Great flavor combo here, I love the addition of green chilies into just about any dish! 🙂
Thank you! I agree, that little zesty addition really pumps up the flavor!
Herdez salsa is a fav, this looks great.
It’s one of my favorites too! Especially for cooking.
I love making enchiladas. They are so yummy and everyone loves them.
I agree Erika! They’re also an awesome dinners to recruit the kids to help with.