These Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are hands down the best enchilada recipe you will ever have! Hatch chile peppers give the enchiladas loads of flavor with a little spice. These enchiladas are cheesy, creamy, and so delicious!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Flavorful Chiles - In New Mexico, you're not really living until you have enjoyed their famous Hatch green chiles, grown in the Hatch Valley! These green chile peppers have a unique earthy flavor with a mild to moderate heat level. The Hatch chile season is short, so if you cannot find these peppers then Anaheim chiles or any other New Mexican pepper will work fine.
- Homemade Enchilada Sauce - This sauce is just a little bit spicy, tangy, and perfectly creamy! Be careful or you just might eat all of the sauce with some chips before it makes it to the enchiladas!
- Great for Freezer Meals - This is an easy recipe to double! Cook one recipe for tonight's dinner and put the other one in the freezer as a gift to your future self.
We enjoyed these Hatch Chile Enchiladas for our New Mexico state dinner and they quickly became our favorite enchilada recipe! I think you will love them too!
Ingredients
Looking for the full recipe? The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Chicken - This recipe calls for 4 cups of shredded chicken breast, which is about 2 pounds. Rotisserie chicken works great! Or you can poach and shred your own breasts. This is a great way to use leftover chicken as well! If you are looking for a different protein, substitute shredded turkey or pork.
Salsa Verde - Made with tomatillos, salsa verde is also called "tomatillo sauce." You can make your own salsa verde or use a jar from the grocery store. I love using this Hatch chile sauce for even more Hatch flavor!
Green Chiles - It will take 6-8 roasted Hatch chile peppers to make 1 cup. If you have access to fresh chile peppers then roast your own under a broiler, then peel and dice them. Canned green chiles will not have as much flavor but can still be used.
Tortillas - Corn tortillas are traditionally used in enchiladas, but my family prefers this recipe with flour tortillas. Either will work! If you are using corn tortillas that are smaller than 8 inches then you will get more than 8 enchiladas from this recipe. Corn tortillas also need to be warmed before rolling or they will tear.
Cheese - For the creamiest melt, shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has a drying agent in it to keep the cheese from clumping together, and that makes it more challenging to melt.
Sour cream - You can also use Greek yogurt, following a 1:1 exchange.
Instructions
Step One: Make Filling
- It is so fast to make this filling, especially if you are using leftover chicken!
- Saute the onions and garlic over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet.
- Once they are soft, mix in the remaining filling ingredients.
Step Two: Fill and Roll Tortillas
- Place ½ cup of the chicken filling mixture in the center of each tortilla.
- Roll the tortilla around the filling.
- Place seam side down in a greased casserole dish.
- Don't feel like rolling the tortillas? No problem! Create an enchilada stack following the directions in this sour cream enchilada casserole recipe.
Tip: If you have trouble rolling the tortillas, warm them up first! This is especially important if you are using corn tortillas, as the corn tortillas will split if not warm.
Step Three: Make Creamy Salsa Verde Sauce
- Mash the avocado in a medium bowl.
- Stir in the salsa verde, sour cream, cilantro, and a touch of lime juice.
- Pour the sauce over the rolled tortillas, then wrap the baking dish with aluminum foil.
Step Four: Bake
- Place in a 350°F (177°C) oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the enchiladas.
- Bake an additional 5-10 minutes to melt the cheese.
Variations
- Vegetarian Enchiladas: Replace the chicken with 4 cups of your favorite vegetable medley. Zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, and corn are a delightful combination. Saute the vegetables until they are just tender but still have a bite to them, then add to the remaining ingredients.
- Spinach Green Chicken Enchiladas: Turn this into Spinach Green Chicken Enchiladas by adding 6 cups of fresh, uncooked baby spinach to the chicken mixture.
- Chicken Mushroom Enchiladas: If you love mushrooms, add them to the filling by sauteing a cup of sliced mushrooms with the onions.
Serving Suggestions
- For a complete meal, serve with a southwest green salad, Mexican rice, or refried black beans! Don't forget the fresh pico!
- Looking for a little extra crunch? Double the creamy salsa verde sauce and serve half of it as a dip with tortilla chips! (This sauce is also delicious on breakfast tacos!)
- And these New Mexican Sopapillas are the perfect pairing to enjoy alongside your meal, or drizzled in honey for dessert!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350°F (177°C) oven until hot.
The filling and the sauce can both be made up to 3 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
These enchiladas freeze great! You may even want to double the recipe to serve one and freeze one! Place the filled tortillas in a freezer-safe baking dish and wrap with plastic wrap and then foil, to avoid freezer burn. I recommend storing the sauce in a separate storage container so that the tortillas do not get mushy. When ready to use, thaw both containers in the refrigerator overnight, and then top the tortillas with the sauce before baking.
If you are using fresh green chiles then the heat level will depend on the pepper. Smaller Hatch chiles are spicier than large chiles. The avocado and sour cream do cool things down, but if you are sensitive to spice or want something that the whole family will enjoy then I recommend using mild green chiles as well as a mild salsa verde sauce.
Recommended Recipes
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Recipe
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Recipe by:Ingredients
Chicken Enchiladas
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 cup (160 grams) finely chopped white onion (1 small onion)
- 3 (3) garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon (1 grams) chili powder
- ½ teaspoon (1 grams) cumin
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice
- 1 cup (225 grams) diced roasted green chiles (or 2 4-ounce cans)
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) salsa verde
- ½ cup (115 grams) sour cream
- ⅓ cup (5 grams) chopped cilantro
- 3 cups (339 grams) Monterey Jack cheese divided
- 4 cups (500 grams) shredded cooked chicken (about 2 pounds)
- 8 (8) 8-inch flour tortillas
Creamy Avocado Salsa Verde Sauce
- 1 (1) avocado
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) salsa verde
- ½ cup (115 grams) sour cream
- 2 tablespoons (0.8 grams) chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set it aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent, 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup finely chopped white onion, 3 garlic cloves
- Stir in the spices and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin
- Remove from heat and add in the lime juice, green chile, salsa verde, sour cream, cilantro, 1 ½ cups of cheese, and the chicken. Stir until combined.1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 cup diced roasted green chiles, ⅓ cup salsa verde, ½ cup sour cream, ⅓ cup chopped cilantro, 3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
- Mash the avocado and place it in a small bowl. Add the remaining salsa verde, sour cream, cilantro, and lime juice into the bowl and stir well.1 avocado, 1 cup salsa verde, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon lime juice
- To assemble the enchiladas, lay a tortilla on a flat surface and fill it with a heaping ½ cup of the chicken mixture. Roll the tortilla and lay seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.8 8-inch flour tortillas
- Top the rolled tortillas with the creamy avocado sauce.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups of cheese over the top. Place the pan back into the oven uncovered, and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Christine Harz says
This is DELICIOUS! My family loves it. I used fresh grated Monterrey Jack cheese as suggested and it makes a big difference!
Erin says
I love that you love these enchiladas!
Ashlee Bell says
So so yummy! These have become a favorite at our house!
Erin says
I love hearing that your family enjoys these enchiladas! Thank you so very much for sharing! <3