These Green Enchiladas (Enchiladas Verdes) are creamy, cheesy, packed with flavor, and absolutely delicious.
The filling combines chicken, cream cheese, shredded cheese, and fire-roasted green chiles for a rich and tangy bite.
The green enchilada sauce starts with homemade tomatillo salsa verde, simmered briefly with oil and chicken broth to concentrate the flavors.
How to make Green Enchilada Sauce
This sauce uses one batch of homemade Salsa Verde (about 2 cups). Prepare it ahead and refrigerate, or freeze portions and thaw when you need them.
Quick steps to make the sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the Salsa Verde and cook about 2 minutes, stirring often. (It may bubble and splatter, so stir and adjust the heat as needed.)
- Stir in chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat slightly and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and let the sauce cool while you prepare the chicken filling.
Short on time? Use a 16 oz. jar of store-bought salsa verde. Follow the same steps with two adjustments:
- After heating the oil, add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Use only 1/4 cup chicken broth because store-bought salsa verde is usually thinner.
How to make Green Enchiladas
With cooked chicken and the enchilada sauce ready, assembling these enchiladas is fast and straightforward.
- In a bowl, combine cooked chicken, drained green chiles, softened cream cheese, 1 cup of shredded cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth. (Optional: add diced onion for extra bite.)
- Oil a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread a thin layer of green enchilada sauce across the bottom.
- Warm tortillas so they are pliable. Spoon about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of filling down the center of each tortilla, roll, and place seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the rolled enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. To prevent excessive browning, bake covered with foil for 20 minutes, then uncover for 10–15 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with your favorite Mexican side dishes.
Recipe Notes
To soften cream cheese for easier mixing:
- Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for about an hour, or
- Place it in a small bowl and microwave 15 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals until softened.
To soften tortillas so they don’t break while rolling:
- Microwave: Stack tortillas, cover with paper towels, and heat on HIGH about 1 minute, flipping halfway. If needed, continue in 15-second intervals until pliable.
- Stovetop: Warm tortillas briefly on a skillet over medium heat until softened.
- Oven (for corn tortillas): If using corn tortillas and you prefer slightly fried tortillas to avoid sogginess, try an oven method that adds a touch of oil before baking.
Flour or corn tortillas both work well. Choose based on the texture and dietary needs you prefer.
- Using 8″ flour tortillas yields about 8 enchiladas; corn tortillas will make roughly 12–16 depending on filling amounts.
- Flour tortillas create a creamier, softer bite, while corn tortillas are lower in carbs and gluten-free and offer a toasted corn flavor.
Chicken options: Use shredded or diced cooked chicken breast, leftovers, or a store-bought rotisserie chicken. To bake chicken breasts at home: season with salt and pepper, bake at 375°F for 35–40 minutes or until cooked through.
- For extra convenience or flavor, you can substitute a simple slow-cooked shredded chicken.
Make Ahead & Storage
Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or covered in the oven until warmed through.
You can assemble these enchiladas up to one day in advance. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate. Bake covered until heated through, about 30 minutes.
Freezer meal: Freeze the assembled enchiladas before baking in a foil pan, cover tightly, and store up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, bake covered at 375°F for about 45 minutes, or until heated through.
Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, please leave a review and a star rating in the comments—I’d love to hear how it turned out.
Green Enchiladas with Chicken {Enchiladas Verdes}
The sauce is made with tomatillo salsa verde (homemade or store-bought) simmered briefly with oil and chicken broth.
Equipment
- Baking dish 9″x13″
- Large saucepan
Ingredients
- 8 flour tortillas (8″), warmed, or 12–16 corn tortillas
- 1 lb cooked chicken (~2 breasts or 2½ cups chopped/shredded)
- 1 (7 oz) can mild green chiles, drained (fire-roasted recommended)
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 3–4 cups shredded cheese (colby jack & mozzarella blend suggested)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup diced onion (optional)
Green Enchilada Sauce:
- 1 batch homemade Salsa Verde (about 2 cups) or one 16 oz jar
- 1 cup chicken broth (use 1/4 cup if using store-bought salsa verde)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
For the Green Enchilada Sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the salsa verde and cook about 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and let cool while you make the filling.
For the Enchiladas:
- In a large bowl, mix cooked chicken, green chiles, cream cheese, 1 cup shredded cheese, salt, and pepper until combined.
- Oil a 9×13 baking dish and spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom.
- Fill warmed tortillas with about 1/3–1/2 cup filling, roll, and place seam-side down in the dish.
- Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. For less browning, bake covered with foil 20 minutes, then uncover 10–15 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Notes
To soften cream cheese:
- Let sit at room temperature for about an hour, or
- Microwave 15 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals until softened.
To soften tortillas:
- Microwave: Stack, cover with paper towels, heat on HIGH about 1 minute, flipping halfway. Continue in 15-second intervals if needed.
- Skillet: Warm briefly over medium heat until pliable.
- Oven (corn tortillas): Lightly oil and bake for a slightly fried texture to prevent sogginess.
In a hurry: Use a 16 oz jar of store-bought salsa verde. After heating oil, add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30–60 seconds, then use only 1/4 cup chicken broth.
Nutrition info is based on 8″ flour tortillas and a blend of part-skim mozzarella and colby jack cheeses.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 368 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 20.2 g |
Protein: 30.5 g |
Fat: 16.7 g |
Saturated Fat: 8.8 g |
Sodium: 961 mg
Watch the recipe video for a step-by-step demonstration.
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