If you’re looking for an easy and delicious weeknight meal to feed the whole family, look no further than these green enchiladas with chicken.
Who doesn’t love homemade Mexican food? They’re simple to make and taste amazing. Plus, they’re perfect for using up leftover chicken. So, if you have some cooked chicken in the fridge, canned chicken, or a rotisserie chicken, give this recipe a try tonight.
40 Minute Easy Weeknight Meal
This green chicken enchiladas recipe is one of those that is a life saver on a busy weeknight. Also known as enchiladas verdes, these cheesy, shredded chicken enchiladas have so much flavor, but are so easy to make. I can usually have these creamy chicken enchiladas done in about 40 minutes. They are such a time saver.
With only ten minutes or so of prep time, they are in the oven and then on your table in no time flat. Plus, with only a few ingredients, they are so easy. Our family loves them.
I do sometimes pair them with red enchiladas with red enchilada sauce over the top of those, using the same interior ingredients, just switching up the sauce. Such a people pleasing recipe.
Easy Enchiladas
Traditional Mexican enchiladas are made with a few simple ingredients. The most important ingredient is the tortilla. Traditionally, enchiladas are made with yellow corn tortillas, but you can also use flour tortillas. We use flour soft tortillas for our salsa verde chicken enchiladas.
The next traditional ingredient is the filling. Enchiladas can be filled with a variety of things, but the most common fillings are meat (usually chicken or beef), cheese, and vegetables. You can choose whatever veggies your family likes, but we like to use onions in ours.
Once the tortillas are filled, they are rolled up, with the rolled tortillas placed in a baking pan and covered in a sauce. The most common sauces for enchiladas are red or green salsa, sometimes referred to as salsa verde or rojo, but there are also many other traditional sauces that can be used.
Finally, the enchiladas are topped with cheese and usually served with sour cream on the side. These traditional ingredients come together to create a delicious and hearty meal. Our recipe is baked in the oven. Our friends from Two Cloves Kitchen has a recipe for chicken slow cooker enchiladas.
How to Make Green Enchiladas with Chicken
Our process for making this easy chicken enchilada recipe is so simple.
The first step is to get out a large bowl to prepare your filling in. While you can choose many options for filling your enchiladas, we like to use shredded chicken, chopped onions, Monterey jack cheese, Mexican blend cheese, or Colby jack shredded cheese, and sour cream to bind it all together. I reserve a little sour cream and shredded cheese to top the enchiladas with. Otherwise, everything is mixed together to form the filling.
You can fry the tortillas first in a large skillet with olive oil, I prefer them to remain soft. Fill the soft-shell tortillas with about two or three tablespoons of filling and roll them up. You do not have to tuck the ends of the tortillas in, but can do one end or both if you want them to hold up better. Then, place your rolled enchiladas in a casserole dish or prepared baking pan with the seam side down.
The next step is to pour your green enchilada sauce over the top. I usually do two cans of grocery store sauce per baking pan of enchiladas. You want them to be mostly covered by the sauce. They will soak up some of the sauce while cooking and you don’t want them to dry out. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking another 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Finally, remove from the oven and serve topped with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. It’s not hard to love this green chicken enchilada recipe!
What sauces can be used on enchiladas?
There are many sauces for enchiladas. Some of the best ones include: white queso sauce or cheese sauce, red enchilada sauce, green enchilada sauce, and mole sauce which is a brown sauce made from unsweetened chocolate, chiles, and spices.
What can you put inside an enchilada?
You can put whatever meat and vegetable combination you desire in your enchilada. Some tried and true filings are:
- Green chiles
- green onions
- Cream cheese
- Lemon or lime juice
It’s also a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken. All you have to do is shred it. Ground beef is also another good meat option. You can also cook a roast and shred it for enchiladas.
Toppings for enchiladas
Toppings are so much fun for enchiladas. Everyone has their own preference. My family likes to keep it simple and use cheese and sour cream. However, here are some other great enchilada toppings:
- Fresh cilantro
- Queso fresco
- Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheese, try pepper jack cheese or Monterey
- Green onions
Green Enchiladas with Chicken Recipe
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 8 Flour Tortilla 8-10 inch or 12-16 corn tortillas
- 16 Ounces Chicken cooked and chopped or shredded 2 breasts or 2 ½ cups
- 1 Medium Onion diced
- 32 Ounces Salsa Verde 2 jars
- 1 ½ Cups Sour Cream divided ½ for the chicken filling ½ for the topping
- 4 Cups Cheese shredded can use Monterey Jack, Mexican cheese blend, or Colby Jack, divided save 1 cup for the topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl to prepare your filling in. While you can choose many options for filling your enchiladas, we like to use shredded chicken, chopped onions, Monterey jack cheese, Mexican blend cheese, or Colby jack shredded cheese, and sour cream to bind it all together. I reserve a little sour cream and shredded cheese to top the enchiladas with. Otherwise, everything is mixed together to form the filling.16 Ounces Chicken, 1 Medium Onion, 4 Cups Cheese, 1 ½ Cups Sour Cream
- Fill the soft-shell tortillas with about two or three tablespoons of filling and roll them up. You do not have to tuck the ends of the tortillas in but can do one end or both if you want them to hold up better. Then, place your rolled enchiladas in a casserole dish or prepared baking pan with the seam side down.8 Flour Tortilla
- The next step is to pour your green enchilada sauce over the top. You want them to be mostly covered by the sauce. They will soak up some of the sauce while cooking and you don’t want them to dry out.32 Ounces Salsa Verde
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking another 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- Finally, remove from the oven and serve topped with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
Your Own Private Notes
Notes
What can you put inside an enchilada?
You can put whatever meat and vegetable combination you desire in your enchilada. Some tried and true filings are:• Green chiles
• green onions
• Cream cheese
• Lemon or lime juice It’s also a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken. All you have to do is shred it. Ground beef is also another good meat option. You can also cook a roast and shred it for enchiladas.
Nutrition
Complimentary Sides
Enchiladas are a Mexican classic, and there are endless possibilities when it comes to enchilada sides. Pico de Gallo is a fresh and flavorful salsa made with diced tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.
It’s the perfect accompaniment to enchiladas, and it’s also great on its own as a dip or topping. Spanish rice is another common side dish for enchiladas.
Rice can also be plain or flavored with spices like cumin or chili powder. Beans are also often served with enchiladas. Black beans are a popular option, but refried beans or cowboy beans are also delicious. Lettuce or lettuce salad works too. Even guacamole. Whatever sides you choose, they’re sure to complement your enchiladas perfectly.
Substitute Green Enchilada Sauce?
Salsa Verde is a green sauce made with cilantro tomatillos, garlic, onion, salt, olive oil, jalapenos, and cilantro. It would be a great tasting substitute for the green enchilada sauce.
We have a few more delicious recipes for you to try.
