Honey Lime Salsa Verde Enchiladas

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Happy Memorial Day Weekend! This Memorial Day, Patrick and I also celebrated our 8 year wedding anniversary! I won’t get too mushy and gushy, because you can read all of that in “Our Love Story,” but I have to say, I am more madly in love with my husband than ever before – especially after this crazy last year (I’m still updating my Next Chapters) starting with finding out I would need a kidney transplant (January 2013), almost going into a diabetic coma and Patrick saving my life (April 2013), Patrick rushing me to the hospital for appendicitis (June 2013), my mom being disqualified as my kidney donor (July 2013), supporting me through my iron infusions, no energy, and crazy swollen legs and feet (because my kidneys weren’t flushing out the fluid) – so swollen I could no longer wear jeans and only wear 1 of my MANY pairs of shoes that still fit (summer – October 2013), and finally through my kidney transplant and recovery (October 2013). All the craziness reminds me of the line in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” when Maria is pinching herself that she and Ian are getting married and she jokes that any day he’s going to say, ” Yeah, right, you’re so not worth this.” I don’t know how I got so lucky for him to think I am worth this – but I will take it! And treat him right with the BEST Chicken Enchiladas on the planet!

You’ll go crazy for these smothered Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

I am A HUGE chicken enchiladas fan – because practically everything tastes better in a tortilla smothered with cheese and sauce! I’ve shared Jalapeno Chicken Enchiladas,Barbacoa Beef Enchiladas,Sweet Chili Chicken Enchiladas, Creamy Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas and Breakfast Ham and Cheese Enchiladas – but this Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas recipe is still our go-to favorite and Patrick’s #1 favorite…EVER!!! So, I thought it fitting I share Patrick’s favorite food while I celebrate my marriage to my favorite man! The honey and salsa verde are a match made in heaven -its a tangy sweet dance of perfection. This chicken is sweet from the honey, slightly spicy from the salsa verde, pepper jack and spices (which you can tone down to your taste), with a burst of fresh citrus from the lime. I absolutely adore this flavor combination. I love it so much that this recipe was my inspiration for my Honey Lime Chipotle Fajita Burrito Bowls with Chipotle Lime Crema (a must try if you love honey lime or Mexican food!). Now, there are many recipes out there with this combination, but what sets this recipe apart is the seasonings and 10 minute marinade. The chicken is combined with honey and lime juice and seasonings just for 10 minutes – you will be AMAZED at the flavor shredded, cooked chicken can soak up in 10 minutes! These Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas recipe will do such a show stopping flavor tap dance on your tongue that you won’t be able to quiet the applause of your taste buds!

Ingredients for Honey Lime Chicken Verde Enchiladas

Chicken: Use chicken breasts to make your own rotisserie chicken or use 3 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken. Salsa verde: Use one 16 oz. jar salsa verde, like Herdez brand, or 2 cups Homemade Salsa Verde. Tortillas: I’ve gone with flour tortillas in this recipe so the flavor doesn’t compete with the filling. If you really want to use corn, then make sure to use quality corn tortillas so they don’t tear, or I recommend lightly toasting them in a skillet first. Cheese: A combo of both pepper Jack cheese and Monterey Jack cheese will give you buttery creaminess with the most flavor without being too spicy. Honey: You’ll want to use 1/3-1/2 cup honey depending on how sweet you want the salsa verde chicken enchiladas. I recommend starting with less and adding more to taste. Lime juice: You can use fresh or bottled lime juice. Seasonings: A combination of chili powder,onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, chipotle pepper and cayenne pepper enliven these salsa verde chicken enchiladas with FLAVOR! You can customize the heat by using more or less chipotle pepper and choosing whether or not to add cayenne pepper for more heat.

MAKE EASY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH ROTISSERIE CHICKEN!

You can use your own shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken for this easy chicken enchilada recipe. I love using rotisserie chicken because it is lightly seasoned and juicy. You will need about 3 ½ cups shredded chicken for this recipe.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN SHREDDED CHICKEN

While I love rotisserie chicken, I often don’t have one – or a whole, uneaten one on hand, so I usually make my own shredded chicken for chicken enchiladas. It is super easy and all you need is chicken and chicken broth!

How to make Honey Lime Verde Enchiladas

Step 1: Marinate chicken. To make these the BEST chicken enchiladas, the flavors don’t just “sit” on the chicken, they penetrate the chicken! Soak the shredded chicken for just 10 minutes in a bath of honey, lime, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chipotle powder, garlic, etc., to transform plain chicken into out of this world chicken. Step 2: Toast tortillas. While your chicken is “marinating,” lightly toast your tortillas. This step is optional but we highly prefer the texture of toasted tortillas. They still soften in the chicken enchiladas, but they don’t become mushy. Step 3: Assemble. Top each tortilla with pepper jack cheese, optional 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, then roll up and place in the baking dish. Smother with salsa verde sauce and more cheese. Step 4: Bake. Sit back and relax while the honey, lime, salsa verde, cheesy chicken deliciousness bubbles into golden cheesy bliss.

How long to bake Chicken Enchiladas Verde

Bake chicken enchilada at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the enchiladas are bubbling. You can broil the top until the cheese is golden in spots, but take care not to broil for too long or the cheese won’t be as gooey – and we all want GOOEY cheese!

Tips for making Salsa Verde Enchiladas

Use jarred mild salsa verde as opposed to canned green enchilada sauce. They are similar but not the same. You can use flour or corn tortillas. If you use corn tortillas, just be aware they tend to fall apart more easily. You will need to microwave the corn tortillas before using: working in batches, place 6 tortillas on a microwave safe plate, cover with a moist paper towel and microwave 40 to 50 seconds so they are warm and pliable. You can also lightly pan fry in a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet. You can make easy chicken enchiladas in a flash by using rotisserie chicken or making your own shredded chicken in advance and keeping it in the refrigerator or freezing it, then thawing it the night before making chicken enchiladas. Shred the cheese yourself! Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in anti-clumping chemicals which makes it harder to melt. You can prep the salsa verde enchiladas ahead of time in steps: make/shred the chicken, fry the tortillas, marinate the chicken, OR completely assemble and refrigerate. See prep ahead instructions. Toppings! Top chicken enchiladas with all or some of your favorite toppings such as sour cream or Greek yogurt (highly recommend), cilantro, jalapenos, avocados, tomatoes, black olives, etc. If you’re not sure how much cayenne pepper and/or chipotle pepper to add, use less heat and add hot sauce to spice up individual servings.

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas variations

I love these salsa verde enchiladas simple with chicken and cheese, but you can customize them in SO many different ways:

Add beans: pinto beans, black beans and even refried beans are yummy! Add vegetables: corn, zucchini, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, spinach, olives, jalapenos, etc. Pick your favs! Add rice or quinoa: add cooked rice or cooked quinoa directly into the filling for yummy texture. Cheese: use more or less cheese depending on your cheesy desires. If you know you love spicy, then consider using all Pepper Jack cheese. Swap protein: although this recipe is salsa verde chicken enchiladas,” the recipe works well for shredded beef, ground beef, ground turkey, and ground chicken as well. You can also use any of my Mexican proteins (and skip the step of seasoning the protein in the recipe) such as Chipotle Sweet Pulled Pork, Crockpot Mexican Chicken, 10 Minute Mexican Chicken, Salsa Verde Chicken, Beef Barbacoa, Carnitas, or Mexican Ground Beef.

What to serve with Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

These salsa verde chicken enchiladas are steal-the-show fantastic, they don’t need many sides. In fact, we love them just with rice and a big green salad. If you’re looking to get a little more creative, they are also delicious with:

Rice. I love serving Chicken Enchiladas with some sort of rice or low carb rice alternative to offer a neutral textural juxtaposition. Plain rice is excellent because the enchiladas are so flavorful or cilantro lime rice or Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice (pictured) is excellent as well. You may also swap the rice for quinoa, cauliflower rice or Roasted Spaghetti Squash. Salad. This easy Chicken Enchilada recipe loves the contrast of a bright, fresh salad. You can go as simple as a green salad and toss in some crushed tortilla chips and black beans or go big with southwest salad, or corn salad. Vegetables. You can jam all your veggies into the salad or serve salad along with or in addition to elote (Mexican Grilled Street Corn – AH-mazing) grilled corn on the cob, baked asparagus, roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, roasted Brussels sprouts or roasted butternut squash. Fruit. Keep it simple and serve this easy Chicken Enchilada recipe with your favorite fruit such as pineapple, cantaloupe, or grapes or amp it up with any of these fabulous options: pina colada fruit salad, fruit salad with honey lime vinaigrette, grape salad, winter fruit salad, or caramelized grilled pineapple. Dessert! Finish off your homemade Mexican fiesta with churros or Tres Leches Cake for the win!

Chicken Verde Enchiladas Topping Suggestions

These salsa verde enchiladas are stand alone addicting, but as is the case with all Mexican food, whether it’s tacos, burritos, fajitas, tortilla soup, they are even better with toppings! Here are some of our favs for this recipe:

Sour cream or Greek yogurt: the bright tangy creaminess cuts through and compliments the earthy flavor profile. Tomatoes: quartered cherry tomatoes or seeded, chopped Roma tomatoes or skip the plain tomatoes and use pico de gallo. Pico de gallo: is fresh tomato salsa that adds a vibrant, punchy freshness. You can use my homemade pico de de gallo recipe or store bought. You can make the pico de gallo ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving. Cilantro: if you skip the pico de gallo, you can load on fresh cilantro and tomatoes instead for a fresh, zesty flair. Guacamole: use my homemade guacamole recipe (amazing!) I use in my Street Tacos, your favorite recipe or even use store bought. Avocados: chopped or sliced avocados are the easiest avocado option and add a wonderful creaminess. You might want to add a splash of lime juice if you use plain avocados. Hot Sauce: pass around the hot sauce so individuals can customize the heat. Jalapenos: you can also amp up the heat with chopped or sliced jalapenos or pickled jalapenos.

How to store Salsa Verde Enchiladas

How long do Verde Enchiladas last?

Chicken Enchiladas should be covered tightly in plastic wrap or foil and stored in the refrigerator. When stored correctly, these Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas are good for about 5 days.

Freezing Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

While some enchiladas don’t freeze as well due to a cream-based sauce, these Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas freeze great! You can even double the recipe so you can enjoy one casserole now and one later. I like to freeze my chicken enchiladas in a disposable pan for easy cleanup, but any 9×13 pan will also work. To freeze enchiladas: I hope you love these Honey Lime Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas as much as we do!

HOW TO REHEAT salsa verde CHICKEN ENCHILADAS?

You can reheat individual servings of Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas in the microwave until heated through or you can reheat the entire pan in the oven. To reheat enchiladas in the oven, cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees F until heated through, approximately 30-35 minutes.

LOOKING FOR MORE SALSA VERDE RECIPES?

3 Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken Salsa Verde Pepper Jack Macaroni and Cheese Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken and Rice Bake Salas Verde Chicken Tortilla Soup Queso Verde Corn Dip Chicken in Coconut Mango Verde Sauce (READERS FAV!)