These chicken enchiladas with green sauce feature a creamy shredded chicken and green chile filling covered in a green enchilada sauce and plenty of melted cheese. It's an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love, in just 35 minutes!
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What are enchiladas with green sauce?
Green enchiladas, also known as enchiladas verdes, are made with a sauce called salsa verde. In New Mexico the sauce uses primarily green chili peppers. Mild varieties often use poblano or hatch peppers and spicier varieties usually add in serrano or jalapeño peppers. Many store bought green enchilada sauces are this style.
The flavor of green enchilada sauce is brighter and less smoky than red enchilada sauce, or salsa roja, like the one I use in my cheesy chicken enchilada recipe.
Traditional Mexican salsa verde recipes are primarily made with tomatillos, which look like small green tomatoes with a papery husk. This style has a tangier flavor than green chili salsa verde. Frontera brand makes a yummy tomatillo enchilada sauce. Either style will work in this dish in equal quantity, so choose your favorite.
Why this recipe works
For this chicken enchilada recipe, I fill the enchiladas with sour cream, shredded cheese, diced green chiles, onion, garlic, and a little bit of green chile sauce to make a flavorful, creamy chicken enchilada filling.
Then, I top off the assembled enchiladas with green sauce and shredded cheese. From there, it's just a quick 20-minute bake in the oven, and they're done.
Pair them with some homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, and Spanish rice, and you'll feel like you're at your favorite Mexican restaurant right in your own home!
Ingredients
- Green Enchilada Sauce - To keep this green enchilada recipe quick and easy, I used canned Hatch enchilada sauce. I've also used Las Palmas enchilada sauce and La Victoria enchilada sauce in this recipe with similar results. Here's an easy recipe for homemade green enchilada sauce if you want to make your own!
- Diced Green Chiles - When buying canned enchilada sauce and diced green chiles, pay attention to the heat level indicated on the label. They can range from mild to hot, so choose your preference based on how spicy you like your enchiladas.
- Shredded Chicken - I also use shredded rotisserie chicken to keep things simple. Instant Pot shredded chicken or leftover chicken work great too. For a different meat option, try pork enchiladas with green sauce using my Instant Pot pork carnitas in place of the chicken.
- Cheese - I recommend shredding your own cheese from a block for this recipe. Jack and Colby Jack cheeses are my favorites for this dish.
- Sour Cream - This makes the filling creamy and so yummy! You can use full fat or light sour cream. You can even swap in yogurt in this recipe if you prefer. And if you want to make dairy free enchiladas, you can make these enchiladas without sour cream and cheese all together.
- Tortillas - Corn tortillas are more traditional, but I prefer flour tortillas in this recipe. They get soft and gooey while baking and almost melt in your mouth. If you prefer corn tortillas, you'll need to soften them before filling by either; heating in a lightly oiled sauté pan until lightly browned, or by heating the enchilada sauce in a pot and dunking the tortilla in the warm sauce for 5-10 seconds just before filling it.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make the enchilada filling
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30-45 seconds, then turn off the heat.
- Add ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, can of diced green chiles, shredded chicken, ½ cup of cheese, and sour cream to the pan and stir to combine.
How to assemble the enchiladas
- Set up an assembly line with the filling, tortillas, and your baking dish. Add a little of the green sauce to the baking dish to just coat the bottom.
- Fill each tortilla with around ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture, then roll the tortilla up and place in the baking dish with the seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over top of the enchiladas.
- Top with the remaining cheese and place in a 375ºF oven for around 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Expert Tips
- Shred your cheese from a block for the best melt. The additives in pre-shredded cheese can prevent proper melting.
- If your tortillas are tearing when you roll the enchiladas, cover them with a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften them.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through or heat smaller portions in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make these a day ahead and store in the fridge, but wait to add the sauce and cheese on top until just before baking.
Corn tortillas work great in this recipe too! You'll need to soften them before filling so they are more pliable. To do this heat in a lightly oiled sauté pan until lightly browned. Or heat the enchilada sauce in a pot and dip the tortilla in the warm sauce for 5-10 seconds just before filling it. Tongs work best for the dipping method.
These do freeze well too! I often make a double batch and put one in an aluminum pan to freeze. For freezing, prepare as directed, but do not bake them. Instead cover with foil and place the covered dish in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
When ready to use, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. then bake as directed adding another 5-10 minutes of baking time.
Canned enchilada sauce typically comes in different heat levels, as do the diced green chiles in the filling. For spicy green enchiladas, choose hot varieties. For additional heat add in diced jalapeño or serrano peppers when cooking the onion. You can also mix a little hot sauce into the chicken filling for more spice.
More of my favorite Mexican recipes
📖 Recipe
Enchiladas with Green Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 1½ cups shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
- 1 15 oz can green enchilada sauce
- 8 6" tortillas, flour or corn
- 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30-45 seconds, then turn off the heat.
- Add ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, can of diced green chiles, shredded chicken, ½ cup of cheese, and sour cream to the pan and stir to combine.
- Set up an assembly line with the prepared filling, tortillas, and your baking dish. Add a thin layer of the green sauce to the baking dish, just enough to coat the bottom.
- Fill each tortilla with around ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture, then roll the tortilla up and place in the baking dish with the seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over top of the enchiladas.
- Top with the remaining cheese and place in the oven for around 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Video
Notes
Reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through or heat smaller portions in the microwave. Freezing: Prepare as directed and place in an aluminum pan, but do not bake them. Instead cover with foil and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to use, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. then bake as directed adding another 5-10 minutes of baking time.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
Katy says
Do you think that Oaxaca would be a good replacement for the Monterrey jack cheese? I have plenty of that at home and wasn't sure if it would be a suitable replacement.
Scott says
Hi Katy, yes that should work. Any type of melting cheese should be ok.
GMJ says
Very good simple recipe !! I make it mostly as written The ONLY slight addition is to double the cilantro--- 2T goes in with the chicken & sauce etc. Then 2T on top.( fine mince some stems for the part that gets mixed in, b/c those stems have even more cilantro taste than the leaves)
NOTES:
●. Some Enchilada Sauces come in 10 oz cans...so be sure to ck that. For the 10 oz Can size you will need 1 1/2 cans with some left over..
●BE sure to read the reheating notes. B/C reheating in the microwave is not the best for preserving the crunch of the tortillas
● IF you are not using a rotisserie chicken for the cooked chicken, then appx 1- 1/4 lb boneless chicken breast or thighs work well. I season those lightly w/ a little S&P, and a very LIGHT sprinkle of garlic powder& SOMETIMES A LIGHT sprinkle of onion powder, Then saute' JUST till done, cool. Then shred.
This recipe is every bit as good as the foodies recipes that add 4 - to 5 more ingredients. But this one is simplier & really tasty.
IF you like extras like sliced black olives...just serve those on the side
Susan Scott says
This is now my husband’s favorite meal. Great recipe. Thanks
Joe says
These enchiladas were amazing! They were full of flavor and melt in your mouth. This is a quick and easy recipe with incredible results.
Mrs Scott Hoadley says
These were quick and delicious!! My picky husband loved them. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Rachael says
Made this for dinner and it was a 10/10. Made exactly as the recipe states.
Jessica Lupu says
Amazing! My family loved it. Making again tonight
Julia Egan says
Question: can I dip the flour tortillas in the warm green sauce also? Will that work?
Scott says
Hi Julia, yes, traditionally, the tortillas would be dipped in the warm sauce to soften them before filling and rolling them up. You can also do that in this recipe if you prefer. You can also wrap them in paper towels and microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften them if they are breaking when you're rolling them.
Julia Egan says
Last thought: last fall I roasted an entire case of HATCH CHILI PEPPERS and froze them. The smokey Char REALLY makes a difference in the depth of flavor when making your recipe for homemade green sauce. Next time I will roast tomatillos and use in this recipe also.
Julia Egan says
I really appreciate all the ideas u give us to really "customize" your recipe to each person's liking, tastes and especially who we are cooking for! (Kiddos)
I always "learn" something when I read yr recipes. Like the fact that using tomattios makes the sauce "tangier"!
I have tasted MANY green sauces over the yrs and some of them don't have that...that TANG! Now I know why...AND what to do about it!
r says
Quick and delicious!
I added fresh tomato, diced, and just used mozz cheese. It's what I had on hand.
Served with sliced avocado on top... yumm yumm yumm!!!
Thank you!!!
Andrea says
I found this recipe for a quick last minute potluck. Let’s just say the entire tray of enchiladas was clear by the end of the night.
Thank you so much!! I’m making these all the time and I received a few requests to bring them to the next party!
Scott says
Thanks Andrea!!!
Linda says
Made these several times according to the recipe and they were great
Scott says
Thanks so much Linda!!!