Enchiladas Suiza
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Mar 27, 2025 
Enchiladas Suiza Recipe – These Creamy Chicken Enchiladas are bold and zesty with veggie-packed salsa verde and a rich, silky and cheesy suiza sauce!
Why We Love This Enchiladas Suiza Recipe
Chicken enchiladas come in many forms.
I’m often amazed when reading Mexican restaurant menus at just how many variations of “chicken rolled in tortillas” are out there.
The two most common varieties are Enchiladas Verde (chicken enchiladas with green salsa) and Enchiladas Suizas (chicken enchiladas with green salsa and cream sauce.)
See the difference?
Enchilada Suizas are smothered in a rich creamy suiza sauce, which makes them decadent compared to their counterpart.
What Does “Suizas” Mean?
Suizas means Swiss in Spanish. Therefore Enchilada Suizas are literally Swiss-style enchiladas.
The recipe originated when Swiss immigrants moved to Mexico, bringing their cooking techniques with them.
The token creamy suiza sauce can be mixed with the salsa verde, or added separately. It can also be made with a sour cream (or crema) base, or as a bechamel sauce thickened with flour and milk.
No matter how you make it, the luxurious cream sauce adds a touch of “European elegance” to the excitement of vibrant Mexican comfort food.
Ingredients You Need
- Tomatillos – husked
- Peppers – use a mix of poblano and serrano peppers
- Onion – use a white onion that is peeled and quartered
- Garlic – cloves
- Cumin – ground
- Baby spinach – use the fresh variety
- Cilantro – fresh bunch
- Shredded chicken – use leftover cooked chicken or rotisseries chicken
- Sour cream – homemade or storebought
- Half and half – use the regular variety
- Shredded cheese – Oaxaca, monterey jack or white “queso” melting cheese all work
- Tortillas – use either taco-sized corn tortillas or flour tortillas
How To Make This Enchiladas Suiza Recipe
- Toss the tomatillos, poblanos, onion, garlic, and serrano pepper onto baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until the tomatillos are bubbling and juicy. Your kitchen is about to smell amazing!
- Once roasted, remove the stems and seeds from the peppers. Transfer everything—veggies, juices, all that flavor—into a blender. Add the cumin, salt, spinach, and cilantro, then blend it all up it’s combined but still has some of that texture. This is your fresh and vibrant salsa verde!
- In a large bowl, mix the shredded chicken with half of the salsa verde and half of the shredded cheese. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and grab a 9×13-inch baking dish. Time to assemble!
- Pour the remaining salsa verde into a pan. Dip each tortilla in the salsa to coat both sides—this keeps them soft and full of flavor.
- Spoon some of the juicy chicken mixture onto each tortilla, then fold and roll them up snugly. Place them seam-side down in the baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, half & half, and the last of the salsa verde until that’s all smooth. Now you’ve got your creamy Suiza Sauce. Pour this creamy goodness over the enchiladas, then sprinkle on the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake the cheesy chicken enchiladas for 30 minutes until the top is bubbly and golden. Garnish with fresh cilantro, serve warm, and enjoy every cheesy, saucy bite!
Get the Complete (Printable!) Enchiladas Suiza Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
These creamy chicken enchiladas are super decadent and delicious, and honestly, it’s a meal on it’s own!
But if you want to take it up a notch, you can serve it with some simple toppings like guacamole, pico de gallo, crumbled queso fresco for a salty kick and some pickled onions for a tangy pop.
You can also serve it alongside some arroz amarillo (yellow rice), refried beans or roasted chili corn salsa.
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.
- Flour tortillas – Use flour tortillas for softer enchiladas.
- 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 suiza sauce flavor.
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, like the sturdy Victoria 8-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press which sells for around $26 on Amazon, or this affordable IMUSA model from Target for $15.
Yes, cheesy chicken enchiladas are AMAZING leftover. We love to bake a big pan and take it for lunch all week!
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.
Sure! I would move them to a smaller fitted airtight container to ensure freshness. Freeze for up to 6 months.
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 on a skillet for a few seconds on each side!
Looking for More Mexican Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Quick-Seared Carne Asada
- Tostadas de Tinga
- Mexican Sopes Recipe
- Low Carb Keto Tortillas
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn
- Instant Pot Perfect Carnitas
- Green Chili Recipe (New Mexico Chile Verde)
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Red Pepper Puree
- 2-Ingredient Crockpot Taco Chicken
- The Best Huevos Rancheros
Enchiladas Suizas (Creamy Chicken Enchiladas)
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.
Do you think these could be frozen? I want to take them camping.
Hi Yvonne,
Sure, you can freeze and bake them later! If you start baking from frozen, you will need to add at least 30 minutes to the cooking time.
Such a lovely enchiladas recipe. I have to give it a try. Looks really fantastic. Cheesy, flavorful… yum! I’m making this for sure.
So good! Even the kids liked them. Thanks for sharing!
These enchiladas are some of the most delicious things that I have made! Welcome to my monthly meal plan!