Chicken Enchiladas Verde

Chicken Enchiladas Salsa Verde Recipe – This creamy enchiladas verde recipe is filled to the brim with fresh-made salsa verde and molten cheese. This might be just the dish to serve for holiday dinners if you’re looking to kick traditional dishes to the curb this year!

Salsa Verde Enchiladas

What are you serving for Christmas dinner? Don’t know yet?

Don’t feel bad, me either.

Every year we have certain traditions that we follow religiously, and other areas where we fly by the seat of our pants. Like for instance, what we’re eating for Christmas Dinner.

Some years we sink into family recipes like Chicken Paprikas and Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles. Other years we’ve made cozy dishes like Beef Stroganoff or Trout Schnitzel. We’ve even gone fancy with Perfect Slow Cooker Beef Tenderloin and Pan Seared Duck Breast.

And then, of course, there was the year that we could not agree on what we wanted for Christmas dinner, so we made THREE main dishes and shared them all. (I think it was Grilled Lobster Tail, Homemade Ravioli, and Thai Fried Rice.)

Chicken Enchiladas Recipe with Green Salsa

As fun as it is to get creative around the holidays, I always like it when we prepare simple comfort food for Christmas. Dishes like homemade calzones or my favorite chicken enchilada recipe, make the occasion seem intimate and warm.

Today’s Chicken Enchiladas Salsa Verde recipe is a true family favorite that makes any night feel like a fiesta. These enchiladas are filled with chicken, fresh zippy salsa verde, sour cream, and tons of hot molten cheese.

This easy chicken enchilada recipe would make the perfect centerpiece for a Christmas fiesta this year. You could celebrate the season while sipping margaritas and feasting on latin-inspired favorites. Sounds like my kind of Christmas. Dinner decision made. Feliz Navidad!

What Ingredients You Will Need

Salsa verde – aka green salsa – has a beautifully vibrant flavor from fresh tomatillos, cilantro, and jalapeños, providing just the right amount of heat.

Here are the Ingredients Needed for the Salsa Verde:

• Tomatillos – husked and halved
• White Onion – peeled and quartered
• Garlic Cloves
• Jalapeños – with the stems removed
• Ground Cumin
• Salt
• Cilantro

My classic chicken enchiladas recipe is loaded with incredibly creamy, rich, and cheesy goodness – all coming together terrifically easy to make an impressive dish!

And speaking of easy, this recipe calls for precooked chicken, meaning it’s wonderful for using previously meal prepped or purchased rotisserie chicken.

Here’s What You Need To Make Our Chicken Enchilada Recipe:

• Precooked shredded chicken
• Sour cream
• Shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican Blend cheese
• Flour tortillas (or corn tortillas for gluten-free)
• Salt and pepper

For Serving:

• More sour cream
• Chopped tomatoes
• Avocado

How to Make Salsa Verde

I started this chicken enchilada recipe by first preparing the homemade salsa verde. Here’s how:

1. Roast the onions, jalapeño peppers, garlic, and tomatillos in the oven until toasty on the outside, but juicy on the inside. You can do this with a regular conventional oven, but I like to use the convection setting on my oven because it makes the outside of the veggies really crisp, for a smokey roasted flavor.

2. Then, I put all the veggies in my lovely 16-cup Food Processor with ground cumin and cilantro. PS, if you are looking for an amazing food processor, this thing is a beast and I love it!

3. Puree until mostly smooth but not completely liquified.

And now you’ve got the best fresh-made salsa verde this side of the Rio Grande.

How to Make Easy Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas 

Once you’ve got your salsa ready, you’re all set to prepare the chicken enchiladas verdes!

1. First, combine the pre-cooked shredded chicken, some of the fresh salsa verde, most of the sour cream, and two cups of the shredded cheese in a large bowl. Mix well, and salt to taste.
2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare a large baking dish by lightly smearing a bit of the salsa verde evenly on the bottom.
3. Assemble each tortilla by filling with a scoop of the creamy chicken mixture, and roll like a cigar to close. Don’t try to stuff them too much or roll them too tightly, or your tortillas will break!

Pro Tip: It is helpful if the tortillas are at room temperature before preparing; cold tortillas tend to rip easily, especially if using corn tortillas. 

4. Place the rolled tortillas seam-down in the baking dish, gently squishing them together to ensure they all fit. Pour the rest of the salsa verde over the chicken enchiladas, and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
5. Lastly, bake the chicken enchiladas with salsa verde for a few minutes to allow all the cheesy goodness to melt together. Serve with sour cream, cilantro, avocado, and tomatoes if you wish.

Then devour. Maravilloso! 

Get the Complete (Printable) Chicken Enchiladas Verde Recipe Below. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is This Recipe Gluten Free?

Yes! If you use corn tortillas – which are naturally gluten free – and you’re making all of the salsa verde components fresh at home with wholesome ingredients, this chicken enchiladas recipe is indeed gluten free.

However, keep in mind that corn tortillas and this recipe are not necessarily considered “low carb.”

*If you prefer to use flour tortillas, the recipe does contain gluten.

Can This Recipe be Prepared Ahead of Time?

Absolutely!

The salsa verde itself will keep well, sealed in an airtight container in the fridge for at least a week.

You can assemble the enchiladas the day before, and just wait to bake until you’re ready to serve.

Should You Freeze This Recipe?

You definitely can! This chicken enchiladas with salsa verde recipe is great for meal prepping and keeping in the freezer. Again though, I don’t recommend baking these enchiladas before freezing.

Once the chicken enchiladas have been prepared, wrap the entire dish tightly in plastic wrap, and then again with aluminum foil. Keep in the freezer for up to three months.

You can defrost the enchiladas overnight in the fridge, and then bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes; or, to heat from frozen, you can remove the foil and plastic wrap, re-cover with fresh foil, and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling hot.

What To Serve With This Recipe?

This recipe is fabulous when served alongside: Spanish rice, yellow rice, refried beans, frijoles de olla, fried plantains, or calabacitas. 

Looking for More Latin-Inspired Dishes?

• Pollo Rojo Recipe (Red Pepper Chicken)
• Guacamole and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Recipe
• Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe (Esquites)
• Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
• Green Chili Mole Hotdogs Recipe
• Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Red Pepper Puree Recipe
• Crock Pot Beef Carnitas Tacos Recipe – Eat Live Run
• Skinny Chicken Fajitas Recipe – Skinnytaste

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Best Chicken Enchiladas Salsa Verde Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This creamy chicken enchiladas verde recipe is filled to the brim with fresh-made salsa verde and molten cheese.

Servings: 10 enchiladas

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• 1 1/4 pounds tomatillos husked and halved
• 1 white onion peeled and quartered
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1-2 jalapeños stems removed
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 4 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken from a deli rotisserie chicken, or 3 large leftover grilled chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup sour cream + extra for serving
• 3 cups shredded monterey jack cheese or Mexican blend cheese
• 10 8-inch flour tortillas (or corn for gluten-free)
• salt and pepper

Toppings

• chopped tomatoes
• cilantro
• avocados

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  On a rimmed baking sheet, roast the tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapeños for 15-20 minutes, until the tomatillos are bubbling and juicy. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, and cilantro and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.
• In a large bowl combine and shredded chicken with 1/3 of the fresh salsa verde, sour cream, and 2 cups of the cheese.  Mix well, then salt and pepper to taste.
• Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F and begin assembling the dish. Take a large 9×13-inch baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved salsa verde. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken mixture on top of each tortilla.  Fold the tortillas over the filling and roll like cigars to close. Place the tortillas in the baking dish; you may have to squeeze them in.
• Pour the rest of the salsa verde over the enchiladas and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes until bubbly.  Garnish with cilantro, avocado and tomato.  Top with a scoop of sour cream!

Video

Notes

You can make the salsa verde several days in advance of preparing the chicken enchiladas, and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 1enchilada, Calories: 433kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 688mg, Potassium: 418mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 640IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 330mg, Iron: 2.6mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Author: Sommer Collier

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