AKA, everyone's favorite enchiladas.
You've probably had some variation of these enchiladas at some point: a creamy, slightly spicy chicken filling wrapped in flour tortillas and smothered in green enchilada sauce. With more cheese on top, of course.
They're loosely mexican, heavy on the cream cheese, with just a hint of spice!
These are a perfect standby on the menu rotation year-round: comforting in the winter, fresh in the summer, easy to make (even ahead!), and aways satisfying.
And, of course, enchiladas are the perfect vessel for all manner of mexi-inspired condiments. Serve these enchiladas with chips and this restaurant-style salsa, the simplest guacamole (it's 3-ingredients!), a creamy corn dip, or an easy, fresh pico de gallo and you have a complete meal!
What kind of chicken to use in enchiladas
You'll need 2 cups of cooked, diced chicken in this recipe. Light or dark (or a combination) will work.
To make it super easy, you can use a rotisserie chicken or any leftover cooked chicken that you have. If you're making your own, check out this post on 5 ways to perfectly cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts!
Green enchilada sauce
Green enchilada sauce is a MUST for these enchiladas! It adds so much fresh flavor which is a perfect contrast for all that creamy cheese.
You can find it in the Mexican food aisle of major grocery stores. Green enchilada sauce IS different than salsa verde, though I imagine you could use salsa verde in a pinch.
Making enchiladas ahead
To make these ahead, follow the directions below up to the point of adding the sauce over the rolled enchiladas. Since the tortillas would absorb the sauce if left to sit, you'll want to wait until just before baking to add the sauce over top. (The sauce at the bottom of the pan will be fine!)
For chilled enchiladas, increase bake time to 45 minutes covered, then uncover and bake another 10.
Green Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 (10 ounce) can green chili enchilada sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 (8 ounce) brick cream cheese
- 2 cups diced cooked chicken
- 10 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- For topping: sour cream, green onion, cilantro, tomato, salsa verde, jalapeño, lime
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeño, and garlic and cook until softened - stirring frequently - about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, salt, and pepper and cook 30 seconds more. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle with flour. Stir until no dry bits remain. Pour in the chicken broth a little at a time, stirring constantly. Add the cream cheese and break up with a wooden spoon until melted. Stir in the chicken.Divide filling evenly between the tortillas, rolling each tightly and placing seam-down in the prepared baking dish. Cover with the remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Serve hot.
Notes
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