Chicken Enchilada Suiza
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 1, 2026 
I keep my chicken enchilada suiza recipe in regular rotation, because everyone in my family loves it! I roll tender chicken and veggies into tortillas, then smother everything in a rich, creamy green sauce and plenty of melted cheese. It’s easy enough for weeknights, comforting enough for Sunday dinner, and somehow always wins over picky eaters.
I’m often amazed when reading Mexican restaurant menus at just how many variations of “chicken rolled in tortillas”, aka enchiladas, there are out there. From red sauce and spicy mole to creamy green versions, every type of enchilada is truly delicious and filling. But this Chicken Suiza Enchilada is my type of comfort food. The rolled up soft tortillas are filled with tender chicken and a variety of fresh vegetables like tomatillos, peppers, spinach, and onion, and that all gets smothered in a rich, creamy sauce. Like my authentic enchilada recipe, every bite of this dish is truly decadent and packed with bold and exciting flavors. This dish is great for meal-prepping throughout the week, and it’s easy enough to make for a comforting and impressive weeknight meal.
Jesse – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ These enchiladas are some of the most delicious things that I have made! Welcome to my monthly meal plan!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Bold Comfort Flavors – This chicken enchilada recipe is the ultimate Mexican comfort food, in my opinion. Every bite is slightly spicy, cheesy, filling, and that creamy sauce is absolutely irresistible. From the smoky poblano peppers to the bright and refreshing salsa verde, these enchiladas also have the perfect pairing of vibrant flavors.
Great for Meal Prep – I love to make a big tray of these enchiladas and keep them on hand throughout the week for a quick lunch or a satisfying family dinner. The leftovers never go to waste! Upon request, I also always have a bunch of these stored in the freezer, because they’re easy and quick to heat up!
Fresh Ingredients – This rich Mexican dish is loaded with nutritious and fresh vegetables. It’s made with juicy tomatillos, bright poblano peppers, savory onions and garlic, baby spinach and cilantro, which all pack a refreshing punch and add a ton of gorgeous colors.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Tomatillos – Fresh tomatillos create the tart, slightly fruity and earthy flavors that this dish is known for.
- Peppers – I always use a mix of poblano and serrano peppers for some heat, smokiness, and gorgeous pop of color. If you are sensitive to spice, omit the serrano peppers.
- Onion – This adds a deep savory note. Any onion will work here, but white onions keep the sauce a light creamy color.
- Baby spinach – I prefer to use a bunch of baby spinach for some freshness. I think fresh is always better than the frozen kind because it has less moisture. In a pinch, you can thaw a box of frozen chopped spinach and squeeze all the moisture out before adding it in.
- Cumin – Ground cumin adds that real earthy Mexican flavor that makes this recipe stand out.
- Cilantro – Use a fresh bunch.
- Shredded chicken – To save time, I always use a blend of shredded breast and thigh from leftover chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- Sour cream – I’ve found that regular sour cream makes the thickest, most rich base for the luxurious enchilada sauce.
- Half and half – I always add a splash of half and half to balance out the tanginess from the sour cream.
- Shredded cheese – To get that bubbly, cheesy finish, I use either Oaxaca, Monterrey jack, or white “queso” melting cheese.
- Tortillas – Of course, to hold everything together, I recommend using either soft flour or corn tortillas that are taco-sized. These soak up all those delicious flavors and creamy, green sauces.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Roast the veggies – To get those smoky flavors, I start off by placing the tomatillos, peppers, onion, and garlic onto a baking sheet and roasting them for about 20 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll know they’re ready once the tomatillos start to bubble!
Make the salsa verde – I let the roasted veggies cool down a bit, and then I remove the stems and seeds from the peppers. I place all the veggies into a food processor with a bit of cumin, salt, a handful of fresh spinach and cilantro, and I mix everything up until the sauce is blended. I like my salsa verde on the chunky side.
Make the chicken filling – I grab a large bowl and toss in the shredded chicken, half of the cheese, and half of the fresh salsa verde sauce I just made. I mix that up altogether.
Prep the oven – Meanwhile, I lower the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Begin assembling – I grab a baking dish, and I pour in some salsa verde, into which I dip the flour tortillas so that they get coated on both sides.
Pour and fold – Then, I plop a hefty amount of that chicken cheese filling onto each tortilla, and I roll them up to close. I place each tortilla into a baking tray, with the folded end down.
Make the creamy sauce – In a small bowl, I combine the sour cream, half and half, and whatever I’ve got leftover from the salsa verde. Then, I pour that creamy sauce over the rolled-up tortillas and finish up with a hefty sprinkling of more cheese.
Bake – Finally, I bake these enchiladas for about half an hour until the sauce starts to bubble around the edges. When I’m ready to serve, I garnish it with some fresh chopped cilantro.
Recipe Variations
- Veggies – Swap the chicken for tofu, cooked beans, roasted sweet potatoes, or jackfruit for a meaty texture.
- Protein – Use shredded beef or pork instead of chicken for a heartier version, or shrimp for a seafood twist.
- Extra cheese – Mix in some cream cheese with the shredded chicken for an ultra-creamy filling, or add in some Monterey Jack cheese for a kick.
- Greek yogurt – Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a lighter, tangier suiza sauce flavor.
Serving Suggestions
These creamy enchiladas are super decadent and delicious, and honestly, they’re a meal on their own! But if you want to take it up a notch, you can serve it with some simple toppings like guacamole, pico de gallo, homemade salsa, crumbled queso fresco for a salty kick, and some pickled onions for a tangy pop.
You can also serve it alongside a bowl of fluffy arroz amarillo (yellow rice), refried beans, or grilled street corn for a complete Mexican meal.
Storing
Store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat these in the oven on low and sprinkle some more cheese on top for a fresh, gooey cheese pull. Or reheat individual portions in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes.
If you want to freeze these, move them to a smaller, fitted airtight container to ensure freshness. Freeze them for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use either store-bought or homemade tortillas. Both are solid options, and making tortillas at home is way easier than you’d think, especially if you have a great tortilla press.
Absolutely! Just be sure to wrap the casserole dish extremely well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil before placing it in the freezer. Thaw the pan completely at room temperature before popping it in the oven.
Corn tortillas might crack if they’re too dry. To prevent this, dip them in the warm salsa verde before rolling, or lightly warm them in a skillet for a few seconds on each side!
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More Mexican Recipes
Chicken Enchilada Suiza
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked
- 3 poblano peppers
- 1 white onion, peeled and quartered
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 1 serrano pepper
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach, packed
- ½ cup cilantro
- 4 cups cooked shredded chicken, leftover or rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¾ cup half & half
- 1 pound shredded Oaxaca, monterey jack, or white “queso” melting cheese
- 14 taco-size corn or flour tortillas (corn for gluten free)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, roast the tomatillos, poblanos, onion, garlic and serrano pepper for 15-20 minutes, until the tomatillos are bubbling and juicy.
- Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers. Then transfer the roasted vegetables and juices to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, spinach, and cilantro. Pulse the mixture until well combined but still chunky.
- In a large bowl combine and shredded chicken with half of the fresh salsa verde, and half of the shredded cheese. Mix well, then salt and pepper to taste.
- Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F. Set out a 9X13 inch baking dish.
- Pour the remaining salsa verde in a shallow pan for assembling. Dip the tortillas in the salsa, coating on both sides, to soften.
- Put a scoop of the shredded chicken mixture on top of each tortilla. Fold the tortillas over the filling and roll to close. Place the tortillas in the baking dish, ends down. You may have to squeeze them into two rows.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, half & half, and the last of the salsa verde. Mix until smooth. Pour the creamy topping over the enchiladas and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. If the cheese starts to brown, loosely cover the top with foil. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.
I followed most of your instructions to the letter with the exception of using whipping cream instead of half and half and sour cream. Thank you for the suggestion to roast the vegetables. It gives it a really nice smoky spicy flavor
Absolutely the best I’ve EVER had or made!! Soooo full of flavor!! My entire family of 8 LOVED them! I would say though, if your family is sensitive to spicy, I’d cut out the Serrano pepper. It definitely wasn’t to spicy but I know how some kids are sensitive to spicy things!
These were absolutely DELICIOUS!! Definitely a keeper and I will be making them again!! 😀
great dish, I’m used to red sauce enchiladas and the default tortillas always seem to be corn, so I really appreciate flour in this recipe, much more to my taste and love the sour cream, thank you
In a pinch, if I have to use jarred green salsa how much Would this recipe call for? Hate to Even ask but with corona shut down can’t find these ingredients. Thanks!
Hi Soraya,
You will need approximately 4 cups of salsa Verde. Hope this helps – Stay safe!
Best enchilada recipe I’ve ever tried. Delicious and easy to make!
I made these today for my sons bday, they came out delicious!! Great recipe followed directions perfection!! I’m keeping this recipe 👍🏼
Very good…just a lil spicy for us…next time 1 pablano and maybe no serrano…
So yummy and easy! Thanks, Sommer! Another keeper!
This is delicious! Followed the recipe exactly and used corn tortillas. My husband loved it! It’s a keeper!
Absolutely delish! Mine weren’t too spicy, might add a couple more Serranos next time. Definitely a keeper! Thanks!
I am a fan of anything with tomatillos and this dish is no different. Turned out perfect in my first try. SO GOOD!
This was so good! My whole family loved it!
I love these out of the ordinary enchiladas! They are absolutely delicious!!!