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Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

by Mike Hultquist · May 1, 2023 · 43 Comments · Jump to Recipe

These enchiladas with green sauce are stuffed with tender chicken, smothered in tangy salsa verde, then topped with melty cheese and baked, easy to make!

Enchiladas with Green Sauce

We're cooking up a batch of Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce, my friends! Would you care for some? Come on in!

Green chicken enchiladas, or chicken enchiladas verdes in Spanish, are a traditional Mexican dish made with tortillas filled with shredded chicken or other fillings topped with in a green sauce, or salsa verde, made from tomatillos, chilies, garlic, and other seasonings.

Salsa verde enchiladas are often topped with cheese and other fixings, like onions, Mexican crema, or fresh herbs. Enchiladas verdes are typically served with rice and beans and are a popular dish in many Mexican restaurants.

Let's talk about how to make enchiladas verdes, shall we?

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes Ingredients

The printable instructions with exact measurements is listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Boneless Chicken. Use chicken breast or thicken thighs. You can use pre-cooked chicken as a time saver.
Seasonings. Chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, Mexican oregano, salt and black pepper.
Olive Oil.
Chicken Broth. For poaching the chicken. You can also use a flavorful Mexican style lager.
For the Green Chicken Enchiladas
Green Enchilada Sauce. Try my homemade green enchilada sauce recipe for the best flavor. So much better than a store bought tomatillo salsa.
Corn Tortillas. Warmed or lightly toasted, for better pliability and easier rolling. You can use flour tortillas, but corn is more traditional.
Shredded Mexican Cheese. Use Monterey Jack, white cheddar, asadero, manchego, or queso quesadilla cheeses.
For Serving. Fresh cilantro, queso fresco, chopped fresh jalapenos or serranos, fresh cut limes, diced tomato, crema or sour cream, spicy chili flakes, your favorite hot sauce

How to Make Chicken Enchiladas Verdes - The Recipe Method

Season and Sear the Chicken. First, heat a small pan to medium heat and add the olive oil.

Season your chicken with the blend of seasonings, then sear the chicken a couple minutes per side to let it brown up.

Poach the Chicken. Pour in the broth or beer and cover. Reduce the heat to low and let the chicken simmer about 30 minutes, or until it cooks through and becomes very tender.

Shred the Chicken. Remove the chicken from the heat and shred it with a fork. I set it into a separate bowl for this.

Cooking, then shredding chicken to make enchiladas verde

Prep for Baking. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sauce the Baking Dish. Spoon some of the green enchilada sauce onto the bottom of a 8x11 baking dish and spread it out, just enough to cover the bottom.

Roll the Chicken Enchiladas. Spoon the chicken into each of the warmed corn tortillas and roll them up. Set them side by side in the dish with the seam side down. They will all nestle up together.

Rolling chicken into corn tortillas, then setting them into a baking dish with verde sauce (green sauce)

Top with Sauce and Cheese. Pour on the remaining sauce, then top with the remaining cheese. You can easily add more cheese than I added, to your preference.

Spooning green sauce (verde sauce) and shredded cheese over a dish full of enchiladas

Bake the Chicken Enchiladas. Bake the chicken enchiladas verdes for 20 minutes, or until the cheeses are nicely melted.

Garnish and Serve. Remove from heat and top the enchiladas with your favorite toppings.

Boom! Done! Your salsa verde chicken enchiladas are ready to serve! Pretty easy recipe, isn't it? And HUGE on flavor. I hope you love my green chicken enchiladas recipe as much as we do.

Chicken Enchiladas Verde in a baking dish, ready to serve

How Much Will This Serve?

My chicken enchiladas verde recipe will serve 4-6 people very easily. If you're super hungry, serve 4.

Also, these are GREAT the next day. We're only a 2 person household, so I can make this exact size recipe, enjoy it for dinner, then enjoy it again for lunch the next day.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Use the microwave to warm the corn tortillas so they are more pliable, or warm them in the oven or lightly fry them in a pan. Otherwise they might split when you try to fill them with the shredded chicken.

If you'd like to save time, you can pan cook the chicken then chop it instead of waiting for it to become tender and easy to shred. You can also use rotisserie chicken if you'd like, or leftover cooked chicken.

As a variation, use tender shredded pork shoulder instead of chicken. It is so delicious.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftover chicken enchiladas verdes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in a sealed container. If you want to store them for longer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

To enjoy them again, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven or microwave until they're heated through.

Patty's Perspective

I am IN LOVE with Enchiladas Verde. I could eat verde sauce every day. I just love the flavor of tomatillos and I really love this spiced up version. Whenever I have a chance I choose enchiladas at a Mexican restaurant. Now….if only I could figure out a way to convince Mike to make this more often!!

Try My Other Popular Mexican Recipes

Chicken Enchiladas Verde served on a plate with crumbled white cheese

If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes (Enchiladas with Green Sauce Recipe)

These enchiladas with green sauce are stuffed with tender chicken, smothered in tangy salsa verde, then topped with melty cheese and baked, easy to make!

Save Recipe

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: dinner, enchilada

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1

Calories: 442kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings:

Tap or hover to scale

4.93 from 14 votes

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Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast or chicken thighs boneless (You can also use pre-cooked chicken as a time saver)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chicken broth or use a Mexican style lager

FOR THE ENCHILADAS

2 cups Green Enchilada Sauce use 3 cups for a saucier version
8 corn tortillas warmed
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

FOR SERVING: Fresh chopped cilantro, queso fresco, chopped fresh jalapenos or serranos, fresh cut limes, diced tomato, spicy chili flakes, your favorite hot sauce

Instructions

Heat a small pan to medium heat and add the olive oil.
Season the chicken with the blend of seasonings, then sear the chicken a couple minutes per side to let it brown up.
Pour in the broth and cover. Reduce the heat to low and let the chicken simmer about 30 minutes, or until it cooks through and becomes very tender. Remove from heat and shred it with a fork.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spoon some of the green enchilada sauce onto the bottom of a 8x11 baking dish and spread it out, just enough to cover the bottom.
Spoon the chicken into each of the corn tortillas and roll them up. Set them side by side in the dish onto the seams of the tortillas. They will all nestle up together.
Pour on the rest of the green enchilada sauce, then top with cheese.
Bake the chicken enchiladas verdes for 20 minutes, or until the cheeses are nicely melted.
Remove from heat and top with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Serves 4-6 Try this Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce Recipe.

Heat Factor: Mild, though you can easily spice up this dish with additional spicy chili peppers or spicy chili flakes.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 442kcal Carbohydrates: 37g Protein: 37g Fat: 17g Saturated Fat: 6g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 6g Trans Fat: 0.01g Cholesterol: 99mg Sodium: 1417mg Potassium: 650mg Fiber: 6g Sugar: 9g Vitamin A: 1621IU Vitamin C: 4mg Calcium: 252mg Iron: 3mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 5/1/23 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 7/18/18.