Irresistibly Easy Enchiladas Verde
If you’ve been following me for long at all, you know I am a huge enchilada fan. From my crazy popular Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas to my Jalapeno Chicken Enchiladas to my Barbacoa Beef Enchiladas to my Creamy Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas to my Breakfast Ham and Cheese Enchiladas – you might be wondering if there is room for one more enchilada recipe? The answer is yes, yes and yes when they are as irresistible as these Enchiladas Verdes! These Enchiladas Verdes are my only enchilada recipe that uses green enchilada sauce and corn tortillas – and it’s about time. They are cheesy, savory, tangy, smoky, flavorful and everything enchiladas should be. I had to pull myself away from eating an unreasonable portion of these chicken enchiladas – but then I went back for more.
Why you’ll love this Green Enchilada Recipe
Making chicken enchiladas at home is very easy and I’ve simplified the process even further in this Enchiladas Verdes recipe – and made them more delicious at the same time – winning! In most chicken enchilada recipes, the tortillas are just stuffed with chicken and something creamy, but in this Enchiladas Verdes recipe, the chicken is first seasoned with a bevy of smoky fiesta seasonings. This elevates these Enchiladas Verdes to a whole new level – restaurant level – or beyond. The seasoned chicken is combined with enchilada sauce, sour cream, and Monterrey Jack cheese for a one-stop filing instead of tediously layering them separately. All that goodness gets rolled in chewy corn tortillas then smothered in bright, tangy, green enchilada sauce and of course – more cheese. This Enchiladas Verdes recipe is always a crowd-pleaser, can be prepped in the morning and baked at night, made in mass quantities, and/or frozen for later. They also make terrific leftovers – even with eggs for breakfast!
Salsa Verde vs Green Enchilada sauce
Salsa verde and green enchilada sauce are easy to confuse but they are different. In fact, they are exactly what their names imply: salsa verde is a salsa made of roasted or raw vegetables and green enchilada sauce is enchilada sauce made of simmered ingredients. The main difference comes in the texture. Salsa verde is generally made of roasted tomatillos, serrano or jalapeno peppers, onion, garlic, lime juice and cilantro. The ingredients are blended together to create a smooth salsa. Green enchilada sauce contains all of the same ingredients with the addition of flour and chicken broth. The flour and broth make a roux to thicken the enchilada sauce and then the sauce simmers until thickened. For this Enchiladas Verdes recipe, we want green enchilada sauce because it is smoother and slightly creamier than salsa verde and generally less spicy. I have not tried these green enchiladas with salsa verde, but I imagine it would work fine if that’s what you have on hand.
Chicken Enchiladas ingredients
In addition to chicken and tortillas, you will need the following:
green enchilada sauce: use mild green enchilada sauce so you can customize the heat otherwise the enchiladas will be too spicy. cheese: I love the combination of both sharp cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese in enchiladas verdes. Sharp cheese cuts through the enchilada sauce and offers a distinct flavor contrast whereas Monterrey Jack is milder so it complements the sauce and offers hints of creamy, buttery flavor. Please use freshly grated cheese because pre-shredded packaged cheeses use anti-clumping chemicals which prevent them from melting as well. tortillas: I recommend corn tortillas because the corn flavor pairs fantastically with the verde sauce. If you use flour tortillas which are neutral in flavor, you will be missing a dynamic flavor element. sour cream: makes for an extra creamy filling. You may substitute with Greek yogurt. seasonings: chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and chipotle powder round out the flavor profile and make this the best enchiladas verdes recipe!
What chicken is best for this Green Enchiladas Recipe?
You have two options when it comes to making your own shredded chicken for enchiladas verdes: 1) cooking a whole chicken or 2) make your own shredded chicken by cooking chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
Whole Chicken. Like rotisserie chicken, a whole chicken will give you the winning combo of both light and dark meat. Cooking a whole chicken on the stove takes about 30-35 minutes including chopping the chicken into pieces (most of that is hand’s off simmering), so it is also relatively quick, tastes great and you get the added bonus of homemade chicken stock. You can also make the enchilada sauce while the chicken is cooking. Instructions to follow. Chicken Breasts or Thighs: You can make your own shredded chicken with either chicken breasts or chicken thighs so you can always make this Chicken Enchilada recipe with whatever chicken you have on hand. Chicken thighs will give you juicer, more flavorful chicken, but chicken breasts will work as well. You will need about 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts or thighs for this recipe.
Using rotisserie chicken for Verde Enchiladas
Absolutely! If you’re looking for the quick and easy enchiladas verdes experience, use a rotisserie chicken. It’s a big-time saver for a quick weeknight meal and taste fabulous. Rotisserie chicken is a combination of light and dark meat so it’s extra juicy and flavorful. It is also beautifully tender, delicately seasoned and delicious plain, so it makes a fabulous starting point for enchiladas. You will need 3 ½ cups shredded chicken for this recipe which will be most of one rotisserie chicken. If your chicken doesn’t have quite that much chicken, then it is fine to use a little less.
Flour or Corn Tortillas for Enchiladas?
I love all my chicken enchilada recipes that use flour tortillas, but I HIIGHY prefer and recommend corn tortillas in this Enchiladas Verdes recipe. Corn tortillas boast a robust flavor of toasted corn that is made for the tangy, bright green enchilada sauce. They make each other better. If you use flour tortillas which are neutral in flavor, you will be missing a dynamic flavor element of these chicken enchiladas.
Another bonus of corn tortillas is they reheat and freeze better than flour tortillas. While flour tortillas are delicious right away, they tend to get soggy when frozen, whereas corn tortillas hold their shape.
If you have been wary about using corn tortillas in enchiladas because they fall apart just by rolling, never fear! I have a foolproof method of preparing the corn tortillas so they don’t tear, crumble or fall apart. See below.
CAN I USE FLOUR TORTILLAS?
You can certainly use flour tortillas if that is what your family prefers! I recommend toasting the tortillas in a skillet or over an open gas flame first to help prevent them from becoming soggy.
How to make Enchiladas
Filling: The star of any enchilada is the filling and this Enchiladas Verde filling is spectacular – and SO easy! I use an easy shortcut method by stirring all the filling ingredients together in one bowl. This eliminates all the steps of layering each individual tortilla with chicken, cheese and sauce. Instead, we simply add ½ cup enchilada sauce, 1 cup sour cream and all filling seasonings to a large bowl and stir together. Stir in shredded chicken until combined followed by cheese until evenly combined. How quick and easy was that?!
How to keep corn tortillas from falling apart
Flash Fry Tortillas: Heat enough canola or vegetable oil in a cast iron/medium skillet so it covers the bottom. Once hot, add a tortilla and flash fry for about 10 seconds on each side. The word “fry” might be misleading – you just want to heat the tortilla until soft with a few bubbles but not brown or crispy at all. They basically will look the same color when you are done but they will be softened and no longer crumbly. OR Microwave Tortillas: You can microwave the tortillas instead of frying but it does not work as well as foolproof frying. To microwave corn tortillas, work in 2 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. Proceed to dip these tortillas in enchilada sauce and fill before microwaving the second batch. Keep the tortillas you aren’t using covered with a dish cloth to stay warm. Dip Tortillas: Dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce then place on a cutting board to fill. The enchilada sauce makes the tortilla even more pliable to prevent tearing and infuses it with verde goodness through and through.
How to roll enchiladas
Fill Tortillas: Add a generous amount of filling (about 1/3 cup) to the center of each tortilla. Roll Tortillas: Roll up each tortilla and place seam side down in prepared baking dish. If your tortillas seem like a tight fit, that’s fine – just squeeze them in! Get Saucy: Pour all remaining enchilada sauce left in the can and from the pie dish you used to dip the tortillas all over the enchiladas. Try and spread the enchilada sauce evenly over the top so none of the tortillas are dry. Get Cheesy: Sprinkle with 1 ½ cups cheese. You can use less cheese if you like, but more cheese means more delicious.
How Long to bake Enchiladas?
Bake Enchiladas Verdes at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until bubbly. Broil until cheese is golden in spots. You don’t want to broil too long though or the cheese won’t be as gooey.
Green Enchilada Recipe tips
Use canned green enchilada sauce as opposed to jarred salsa verde. They are similar but not the same. Use MILD green enchilada sauce. If you use hot enchilada sauce, your Enchiladas Verdes might be WAY too spicy. Instead, add hot sauce to taste if you like it spicier. To make these green enchiladas come together super quickly, use rotisserie or prepare your own shredded chicken in advance. I’ve included instructions on how to make your own shredded section in the post. You can customize your chicken enchiladas with any vegetables you like. I’ve included some ideas below. If you add veggies, you will want to use less chicken or there will be too much filling. I prefer corn tortillas but you may use flour tortillas. If you use flour tortillas you do not need to fry them or dip them in the green enchilada sauce.
Green Enchiladas Recipe Variations
I love these Enchiladas Verdes simple with chicken and cheese, but you can customize them in SO many different ways:
add black beans, white beans or refried beans add rice or sweet potatoes add olives or fire roasted tomatoes add spinach or other veggies such as corn or zucchini use more or less cheese use flour or corn tortillas substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream top with all or some of your favs such as sour cream (highly recommend), cilantro, jalapenos, avocados, tomatoes, black olives add hot sauce to your enchiladas once their baked. I suggest this after-cooking addition so everyone can customize the heat of their own enchiladas
How to serve Green Enchiladas
These Enchiladas Verdes 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:
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. Avocado Crema: if you’ve been following me for long, you know I top practically everything with avocado crema – AKA my addiction. Avocado crema is a marriage of avocados, sour cream and lime juice. It is wonderfully silky, tangy and just takes minutes to make in your blender. The luscious, refreshing tanginess cuts through and compliments the robust, chili flavors of the enchiladas. 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.
What goes with Enchiladas?
These Enchiladas Verdes are so flavorful, I love serving them with just plain rice and a big green salad. If you’re looking to get a little more creative, they are also delicious with:
Salsa. Every Mexican meal needs chips and salsa! Go simple with my epic restaurant style salsa or try my roasted salsa verde, black bean corn salsa, avocado corn salsa, charred corn salsa, pineapple salsa, or mango salsa. Rice. I love serving Enchiladas Verdes 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 Enchiladas Verdes 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 Enchiladas Verdes 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!
Make Ahead Enchiladas Verde
Yes! These Enchiladas Verdes make a fabulous make ahead dinner you can assemble ahead of time then just pop in the oven! To make ahead, prepare the green enchiladas according to directions, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. You can bake the enchiladas straight from the refrigerator and increase the baking time by approximately 10 minutes or until they are hot and bubbly and completely heated through.
Shred chicken: either shred rotisserie chicken, thaw pre-shredded chicken, or make your own shredded chicken. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Make filling: mix together all of the filling ingredients so you’re ready for super quick assembly. Flash fry tortillas. flash fry the tortillas then store them in an airtight container. When ready to use, wrap a stack in damp paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Fill and roll tortillas while they’re still warm then repeat with remaining tortillas.
How to store Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Enchiladas should be covered tightly in plastic wrap or foil and stored in the refrigerator. When stored correctly, these Enchiladas Verdes are good for about 5 days.
How to reheat this Green Enchilada Recipe
This easy Chicken Enchilada recipe keeps and reheats well both in the oven and in the microwave when using corn tortillas:
MICROWAVE: you can also reheat individual servings in the microwave by transferring to a microwave safe plate and microwaving for 90 seconds. Continue to microwave at 30 second intervals until heated through.
Reheat Enchiladas in oven
OVEN: cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
HOW TO FREEZE ENCHILADAS?
While some enchiladas don’t freeze as well due to a cream-based sauce these Enchiladas Verdes 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:
More Chicken Enchiladas Recipes
If you love chicken enchiladas, you will love my other chicken enchilada recipes! Each one of them boasts a different flavor profile from honey lime salsa verde sauce to creamy jalapeno sour cream sauce, to green enchilada sauce to creamy green chile sauce so you can have a new taste bud thrilling experience every time:
Chicken Enchiladas with the BEST homemade red enchilada sauce. The sauce really elevates this recipe into restaurant quality splendor – you’ll never go back to store bought again! Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas: These are my most popular chicken enchiladas and one of my husband’s favorite recipes of all time. They are a tantalizing combination of robust seasonings, tender chicken and sweet and tangy salsa verde sauce – and of course Pepper Jack cheese. Creamy Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas: These are tied for my most favorite chicken enchilada recipe. They are addictingly rich, creamy, cheesy, tangy, saucy, with flavor exploding homemade green chilie sour cream sauce. Cheesy Jalapeno Chicken Enchiladas: These chicken enchiladas are irresistibly cheesy, stuffed with juicy chicken, both Monterrey Jack cheese and sharp cheddar cheese then doused in the most irresistible creamy jalapeno lime sour cream sauce – and of course topped with more cheese. Enchiladas Verdes: This chicken enchilada recipe is my only recipe (so far) that uses green enchilada sauce and corn tortillas. They are cheesy, savory, tangy, smoky, flavorful and everything enchiladas should be. I had to pull myself away from eating an unreasonable portion of these chicken enchiladas – but then I went back for more. Barbacoa Beef Enchiladas: these beef enchiladas need an honorable mention because they are my only beef enchilada recipe – so far. They are bursting with unbelievably tender, flavorful Beef Barbacoa, loaded with cheese then smothered in rich, tangy enchilada sauce.
Looking for more Mexican dinner favorites?
Cheesy Taco Pasta Tacos Al Pastor Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad Cheesy Taco Soup California Burrito
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